The Jedi From Earth V2
by crod42
Summary: Teleported to another planet, Jack discovers that he is a Force-User. Teaming up with the Jedi, he goes to Coruscant to begin his training for the Clone Wars. He will train, he will fight, and he must do whatever it takes to survive as dark forces seek to corrupt him be it the Sith or his own personal demons. Whatever may happen, the galaxy will change for he is The Catalyst! PG-13
1. Prologue

The Jedi From Earth V2

**Author's note: Okay, I took a real good look at my story and realized that it was sort of an amateur job, so I decided to rewrite it, give it a little more depth and feeling to it. Some parts kept jumping all over the place, and I decided to fix it. In other words, I want to be a little more of a professional about this. The updates may take longer, but it's because I am trying to make all ends meet. The story in itself won't change save for a few minor things, but I will give it more depth.**

**Without further ado, the Prologue that I should have included in the first place. This is the only part that will be in first person, unless you count dreams and the epilogue.**

Prologue

_Cybertron!_

_ A planet far away from our own. A planet that contained technological advances far beyond that of humanity. A planet containing sentient machines far more complex than we could ever dream. A planet consumed by war._

_ War! It's not an adventure, nor is it fun. It's a disease. A curse that can never be lifted, only postponed. It's a tale as old as time. It's a never-ending cycle that will keep on going until time ceases to be. Even Cybertron could not be immune to it.  
_

_The remaining Cybertronians were divided into two groups. One such group was the Autobots, the good guys. The ones who prefer to protect others instead of just themselves. I sided with them not because I had to, but because I believed them to be worthy enough to protect my planet.  
_

_They came to our world, seeking refuge from the Decepticons, the ones who's greed for power blinded them to their destructive ways. The Decepticons were led by a leader who's ambitions for a better world became violent. He had a gathering of followers who believed in him and were willing to lay their lives down for a cause that could have been noble at one point. No longer do they fight for others, save for those that truly believe in their cause. Now, they are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals and crush those who get in the way.  
_

_I will never forget the look on her face as we stepped out onto the once-magnificent planet. No anger filled her eyes, just sadness...and regret. What had once been her proud home was now ruins. Bodies of mighty Cybertronians were rusting away before our eyes, collecting dust. The disease of war destroyed them.  
_

In the fog of war, it's hard to see beyond the next leg of the mission or the next punch in the fight. _She had said._ We did everything we could to save Cybertron, but when the fog finally lifted, there was nothing left to save.

_It was then that I looked closely at these fallen warriors. I began to wonder if these beings knew what they were fighting for. Were they conscripted into battle, or did they enjoy the rush of it? Did they die together or alone? Did they even know that the battle was lost the moment the war began?  
_

_I shook myself out of these thoughts for now. I had a mission: retrieve the Matrix of Leadership to revive the Autobots' fallen leader, the one who could only be classified as a true leader, nothing less than that. He gave up his life more times than I could count for the ones who couldn't fight or win. He had lost his memories and became corrupted by the leader of the Decepticons. Should I be successful in my mission, he will return and become the great Autobot I know.  
_

_But even Cybertron could not grant us mercy on this journey._

_ Vermin lurked in the shadows, ready to prey on survivors or anything they could find on this planet. Some came in the form of Insecticons, sentries that would kill any intruder should they not be Decepticons. I was separated from my partner when it attacked us both. It saw me as nothing more as a parasite, as it swatted me away. My partner intervened and distracted it so I could finish the mission. I trudged on, alone and wounded.  
_

_Walking down the long corridor with only the Key as my light, the soft sound of clicking filled my hearing. It vanished when I looked around for the source. I remembered that sound all too well, for I grabbed a pipe in preparation for the inevitable fight. I didn't care if I was wounded; I only knew what would happen if I failed. That unpleasant thought kept me going.  
_

_I had reached my destination: Vector Sigma, the hidden supercomputer that would aide us in our time of need. But as I waited for the download process, I heard the clicking again, much louder than before.  
_

_They had come.  
_

_Tiny, yet dangerous, creatures known as Scraplets swarmed in like a plague. They saw Vector Sigma as something to devour, and so, they began to feast upon it. My attempts to hit them with the metal pipe had proved fruitless. There were too many of them and time was running out quickly. They didn't care that I was trying to kill them, for what they lacked in sense, they more than made up for it in their appetite.  
_

_Then, my savior had arrived in the form of the Insecticon. Scraplets enjoyed metal, but living metal was craved more. I tossed one of the vile creatures onto the equally repulsive creature. The rest of the Scraplets picked up the scent and I watched them devour the creature alive, leaving nothing behind.  
I had made my first kill and while I did not mourn the creature's passing, I mourned what had to be done.  
_

_At long last, the download was complete and my mission was halfway done. The vessel that the Matrix was in glowed with such radiance, perhaps out of excitement. She had arrived shortly after, and took me out of there quickly.  
_

_My joy and anxiety grew with every passing moment. The journey was not over, but the hard part was. I hoped that I wouldn't jinx us before our mission's end. We were so close, but fate had a way of toying with us.  
_

_The portal was open, but it all seemed too easy. She walked through first, instructing me to stay behind. I waited patiently. Seconds quickly grew into minutes. _

_Something was wrong. I knew deep down that something had happened.  
_

_Building up what was left of my courage and strength, I walked through.  
_

_He was right there waiting for me. Until I showed him what I carried, he looked at me with curiosity, wondering what I, a human, could possibly do for him. When he saw the Matrix, he hesitated and asked me one question that never needed asking.  
_

Are you...certain I am worthy?

_A smile grew on my face as I answered with no hesitation, _You have no idea!

_I raised up the Matrix and it chose him once again. From the vessel to his spark did it travel until the Key remained empty once again. The Autobot took back what was his and not a moment too soon, for the Decepticon leader had come to steal what wasn't his.  
_

_As he raised his sword to slay the noble leader, the Autobot trapped the blade between his hands and spoke not out of fear, but with determination.  
_

Megatron, be gone!

_He pummeled the evil leader mercilessly, letting him know that there was strength left in the Autobots. Soon, his allies—No! His _friends_ had come to his aide and defended him from the warlord. They were stalling for time so that another portal could be opened.  
_

_When Megatron fired his blasters at us, some hit the console of the Space Bridge, causing it to malfunction. He had an idea that would turn this amazing, compelling victory into a bitter one. He continued to fire until he found the opening he was searching for. One shot was all it took, but he did not take aim at any of the Autobots. _

_He chose _me_ as the sacrifice!  
_

_There was nowhere for me to run except back towards the wrong vortex, but even that wasn't enough. An explosion temporarily deafened my ears, yet that was the least of my problems. The fires of that cruel act burned my back and caused me to fly towards the malfunctioning portal.  
_

_I could not see the look on their faces. I could only hear them cry my name in horror as the war claimed yet another life._

**As you can see, I decided to go in depth (BTW, is _in depth_ with or without a hyphen?) with this part. When I watched the Orion Pax segment again recently, I realized how much I did _not_ do last time, so I decided to amend it.**

**The slightly paraphrased war quotes came from Antoine de Saint-Exupery and Niccolo Machiavelli.**

**I think everyone who has ever heard of Disney knows about the "tale as old as time" though it was referring to love at the time. Ironic, isn't it, for love and war to fit that category?**

**Next chapter: Jack arrives on Maridun and meets the Lurmen.**

**Hope you like.**


	2. Chapter 1: First Contact

Chapter 1: First Contact

(Maridun)

The sun was setting on the peaceful planet, another day almost over. The tress gently swayed with the breeze that could calm even the most violent predator. The weather did not choose who deserved to be positively affected and who didn't. It would never discriminate. Everyone received an equal share of its power. The only thing that wasn't the same were the reactions to the weather.

It was this very breeze that woke the unconscious teen that laid in the field.

Jackson Darby groaned weakly, for he was wounded from his previous endeavor. He clenched his hand, filling it with a sample of the ground as he opened his eyes, which were covered in dirt and grime. His vision was blurry, but he could detect green, brown, and a bright light that was shining down on him. He raised his hand to shield his eyes only to find it caked in more dirt and blood.

The astronaut outfit that he wore could not even be classified as clothing anymore, not even for a beggar. The helmet had shattered upon impact, sending glass shards all around the area he was in. The colors of the suit were once light brown, but now, it was black, charred and destroyed from the explosion. Jack gritted his teeth, tears welling in his eyes. The pain of a burned back was starting to get to him, relentless and without mercy.

Not caring if anyone was around, he stripped himself of the uniform and his shirt, crying out in pain as he pulled them off his back. He felt blessed to now that his front did not suffer such extreme damage beyond the usually bruises and cuts. He brushed his face and hair off, removing any more of the glass shards. He found one large enough to get a good look at his face.

His hair, once tidy, was now completely messed up, carrying some more of the nature. His face was all scratched up from the glass, but nothing seemed to be life-threatening, save for the horrible burns on his back.

Jack gazed at his surroundings, stumbling slightly. He spotted a trail partially caked in his blood behind him, signifying that skidded across the plain. That explained the scrapped hands and knees, but he could not tell exactly where he was. The most logical theory was that he was on another part of Earth, given the fact that he could breathe the oxygen here. Since the Space Bridge was malfunctioning, it could have opened a portal anywhere. The least likely theory was that given it was a _Space_ Bridge, he could have been teleported to another planet. He dashed that theory instantly; there was no way he could be that lucky.

Unexpectedly, he heard the sounds of twigs snapping. He would have chalked it up to the breeze causing it, but twigs don't break at a steady beat unless someone is walking on them. He dived into the nearest tall grass, gripping on to a stick. How he heard them first instead of seeing them made no sense to Jack, but he decided not to question miracles.

The twig-snapping was overlapped by footsteps, multiple ones, that were approaching his location. The teen dared not move. Any slight rustle was going to give away his position. If he was spotted, he would not allow himself to go down without a fight.

What came out of the bushes was something he had never seen before.

It looked like a monkey; specifically, a lemur, that was crossbred with a cat. It seemed to be anthropomorphic given that the monkey wore clothes and a hat. What kind of zoo did he wind up in? Then again, his best friend happened to be a seventeen foot tall robot who could transform into a motorcycle. The theory about being on another planet was starting to get more logical.

His head started to spin, letting him know that it was time to return back to the world of unconsciousness. Jack couldn't fight it with his faded strength and succumbed to the darkness once again.

The lemur approached cautiously at this newcomer and asked in a Scottish accent, "Sir, are you all right?"

There was no response from the teen.

Gaining courage, it moved closer. "Um, sir?"

A closer inspection of teen's injuries made the lemur recoil in horror. Jack's entire back was covered in burns and his inner flesh was exposed on parts of his body. How in the world he survived with these injuries could not be explained, but questions would come later.

"You need medical attention now!" the lemur determined. "Tub, I need your help!"

Another anthropomorphic lemur appeared that was slightly shorter and a little more skittish than the first one.

"Wag Too, what are humans doing on this planet?" Tub questioned.

The lemur named Wag Too shrugged. "I don't know, but what I do know is that if we don't get him to our village, he might die!"

* * *

The first thing Jack noticed when he regained consciousness was a nice, cool sensation on his back and other parts of his body. It numbed the pain and seemed to make the teen feel like he was born again...literally. Naturally, his position at the moment was lying stomach first on a rather comfortable bed. He figured that someone brought him here and would probably be contacting his mom soon after he got over those illusions he saw who knows how long ago.  
A wave of images pierced his mind, letting him know that what happened wasn't an illusion.

"Crap," he muttered, holding his head. "Where am I now?"

Judging by his surroundings, Jack concluded that he was in a rather primitive hut. There was absolutely nothing technological in this place, not even a clock. The most advanced thing in here was the bed, which was made out sticks and blankets.

Jack realized that his clothes had changed as well. Instead of the jeans and shirt, he wore what seemed like sweatpants and a T-shirt that was fashioned out of blankets. He owed whoever changed his clothes big time.

"You're awake," an old voice stated.

Jack looked to see yet another lemur, but this one wore a yellow robe and had a beard. His eyes were filled with caution and wisdom like every other old man Jack had ever met. The teen saw him with a cane, and with the way he walked, he had a severe limp.

"What happened?" Jack asked, groaning.

"My son found you in the plains," the old guy explained. "He managed to bring you here and heal you."

Jack tried to sit up only to be swiftly knocked back down by the old man's cane. He made sure not to hit his healing injuries, though.

"What the hell was that for!?" the teen demanded, massaging his head.

"You need to stay in bed, boy!" the old guy explained, pointing his cane threateningly. "If you do not heal properly, then you will be far worse off than when we found you."

"Father," another voice chimed in. "You can't keep beating my patients."

It was the lemur that Jack saw the last time he was conscious.

The old guy chuckled. "Every patient you've ever had tries to prove that he or she is well when they aren't. I'll take the small injury over the big one."

"I'm sorry, who are you people?" Jack interrupted.

"Forgive me," the old guy replied. "I am Tee Watt Kaa. I am the leader of this village and this is my son, Wag Too. He was responsible for healing you."

The teen smiled at him. "Thanks for that. I owe you."

Beneath that smile, his anxiety was off the charts. O_h, my gosh! I am talking to lemurs! How is this even possible!?Why am I not going crazy right now!?_

"Pay you debt by not doing anything rash!" Tee Watt Kaa commanded. "When my son decides to give you permission to walk, then you may walk."

Jack nodded, understanding his logic. "Yes, sir. Thank you."

The leader smiled back. "You are polite. I'll give you that. Should you need anything, give us a call."

_I doubt he means with a phone. _Jack thought.

After Tee Watt Kaa left, Wag Too approached him. "You feeling all right now, sir?"

"Call me Jack, Wag Too," the teen offered, still feeling awkward about the whole thing.

The awkwardness did not go unnoticed by the lemur, but he seemed fine with it. "I know this is all new to you,...Jack. We don't get any outsiders, not even Humans."

His eyes widened. "No Humans on this planet except for me?"

Wag Too nodded. "Yes, and a good thing too. We're trying to stay away from the war."

Jack groaned rather loudly. "Not another one." _What is wrong with my life!?_

"What?"

"I'll explain later," he replied quickly, wanting to change the subject. "So, how did you find me?"

"My friend, Tub, and myself were foraging for food," the healer explained. "Once we finished, we spotted a green portal appear in the sky for about five seconds before disappearing. Tub's keen eyes noticed something fall out of the portal and we decided to investigate. That's when we found you. You looked like you've been through hell."

Jack chuckled mirthlessly. "Yeah, well, getting blown up has a tendency to make me look like that."

"You were blown up?" the lemur exclaimed, astounded. "Your will must have been strong to survive such a thing!"

Jack wondered if the Key to Vector Sigma might had something to do with that, but he could ponder that later. Right now, he was stuck on a primitive planet with talking lemurs. It could be worse, he admitted, but he needed to get home.

Wag Too handed him a cup of strange liquid. "Here, this will help."

It smelled like tea with herbs, but Jack drank it anyway. He decided that he wasn't a tea fan, but he drank the whole cup out of a strong thirst.

"Thank you, Wag Too," Jack said. "You've done a lot for someone you don't even know."

The lemur grinned. "My father always said to be cautious, but never turn down a cry for help. You should rest, though. You'll heal quicker that way."

Jack never liked to sit around doing nothing, but he knew that the faster he healed, the faster he could try to get off this planet. Besides, he was still exhausted from everything. Before he knew it, he drifted into slumber, wishing that he could let his friends know that he was alive.

* * *

(Jasper, Nevada. Autobot Base)

"What could be taking them so long?" June asked impatiently.

"Maybe the Bots needed to smash some Con heads!" Miko suggested, excited by the prospect.

The last thing they heard was that Jack had retrieved the Matrix of Leadership and that Ratchet needed a Ground Bridge open. The humans at base had activated it, but it had been fifteen minutes. Neither the Autobots nor the Decepticons, luckily, made an appearance.

At long last, the Autobots stepped through with Optimus in tow. Raf and Miko cheered for the Autobot leader's return, but June and Agent Fowler stayed silent. The looks on the Autobots' faces said everything: something went very wrong.

"Would you deactivate the Ground Bridge, please?" Ratchet asked sadly.

Raf, wondering what the Bots were so glum about, complied.

June took another look at the Autobots and to her horror, she realized Jack was missing from the group.

"Where's Jack?" she asked, her concern growing with every passing second, slowly starting to turn into horror.

Optimus bowed his head in shame. "I am sorry, June."

It was like someone punched June in the face. She staggered back, her hands over her mouth. It couldn't be. Her only child could not be dead.

"Please, no," she begged, tears falling down her face. "Please!"

When the Autobots could not refute what Optimus had said, her knees gave out and she slumped to the ground, sobbing. The agony of losing Jack was far too much. Fowler knelt down to her level and, cautiously, wrapped his arm around her. She didn't repel him; in fact, she buried herself into his shoulder.

Miko and Raf shed many tears for their fallen friend. Gone was the brave teenager that was willing to lay down his life for others no matter what. Even the Autobots could not hide their emotions, which consisted of guilt, sadness, and anger.

"I'm going to destroy every slagging Con if it takes me the rest of my life!" Bulkhead swore furiously.

Bumblebee buzzed in agreement, pounding his fist into his hand.

"No," Optimus replied. "Revenge is not how we handle our foes, no matter how deadly or cruel they are."

"You were willing to scrap Megatron!" Arcee shot back, her anger exceeding her usual levels.

"It was and still is necessary to put an end to his terrible reign," the Autobot leader stated.

"This is your fault!" June raged against Optimus, getting to her feet. "You gave _my _son something that should have been given to someone else!"

"June-!"

"Shut up and let me finish!" she shouted.

The kids and some of the Autobots recoiled. They had never seen June lose it like this and they did not blame her one bit.

"You tricked him into taking that damn key so he could go to Cybertron and retrieve your precious memories! I don't care if he was worthy! He was _my_ child! YOU SACRIFICED MY SON, YOU BASTARD!"

Once again, she collapsed, weeping uncontrollably.

He could destroy Decepticons, he could be a great leader, he could give up his life for his friends, but Optimus Prime did not know how to comfort someone for the death of a child. It was clear that from the looks from the others, he was not currently welcome in the vicinity. Optimus decided to head to his quarters until he deemed it necessary to return.

Arcee kept her distance from June. She felt responsible for not being able to save Jack. While Optimus and Megatron had the majority of the blame, part of it she believed to be her own fault. She couldn't protect Tailgate, Cliffjumper, now Jack. Her third partner, the one who got her to open up when the others couldn't, had perished like the rest. Once again, the walls of her spark were rebuilt.

Miko put a hand on June's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Darby. I truly am."

"Me too," Raf added. "Jack was a good friend."

"Thank you, kids," the former mother replied.

"I have half an urge to call an immediate strike on the Tin Man's ship," Fowler stated.

"Sadly, that would be too risky," Ratchet admitted. "Megatron possesses superior firepower. I fear that your armies would do no damage against Cybertronians."

"He's dead," Arcee announced, her rage growing. "I'm going to kill him if it's the last thing I do!"

"The four of us combined couldn't take on Megatron," Bulkhead pointed out.

"That's because we've been holding back!" she exclaimed. "Always showing those Pit-spawned monsters mercy when they showed us none! Look what happened to Cliffjumper, to Tailgate, to Jack! This has gone on long enough, and I'm going to shove my blade directly into Megatron's spark!"

"Please, don't, Arcee," June pleaded, brushing her tears off her reddened face. "I don't want to lose you too!"

Arcee stopped in the middle of her vengeful rant and turned to face her. The look in her eyes when they stared at her showed no signs of anger.

June confirmed it by saying, "I don't blame you, Arcee!"

The femme couldn't take it anymore. Quickly, she transformed into her motorcycle form and sped out of the base, away from her friends, away from the humans, away from everything.

Bumblebee offered to go after her but Ratchet stopped him.

"She needs to deal with this," the medic explained. "In the meantime, we have to repair ourselves. We did not come unscathed in our fight with Megatron." He turned to June. "We are truly sorry for the loss of Jackson, Ms. Darby. The only thing that we can say is that he died a true hero. If we were on Cybertron, he would be awarded the highest of honors." He wanted to say that Jack was fit to be a Prime, but since June hated Optimus at the moment, the word "Prime" might be received badly.

June nodded her silent thanks before crying once again.

Ratchet cringed at this next part. "We've come to a decision that affects us as well as our human allies."

Miko stared wide-eyed at him, realizing what he was about to say. "Doc-Bot, you don't mean..."

"I'm sorry, Miko," Bulkhead said sadly, "but we realize that we've put you and Raf at risk too many times."

"You're sending us away?" Raf asked.

Bumblebee nodded sadly, buzzing a confirmation.

The two children knew that this was a hard, but necessary, decision. Given that Jack had made the ultimate sacrifice, Optimus, out of guilt, would not want the others to die as well.

"It's not fair!" Miko cried out.

Wrong choice of words.

"Don't tell me it's not fair, Miko Nakadai!" June shot back furiously.

The girl shrank back as June gave her the tongue-lashing of a lifetime.

"How dare you say that!? You should be grateful for the fact that you won't been in as much danger as you were before! And don't even think about complaining about your life being dull! You should start counting your blessings, Missy, because you won't be able to go back and fix the things that really mattered! Don't throw your life away for _cheap thrills!_"

Never before had Miko felt horrible. It was true; the thrill of watching the Autobots fight and capturing the photos on her phone were fun at the time, but now...maybe it wasn't so great after all. The Miko two months ago would have offered a snarky quip, but she wisely chose not to.

"Ms. Darby is right, Miss Nakadai," Fowler agreed. "You need to let it go. It's for the best."

Miko turned her teary gaze towards Bulkhead. "Does this mean I won't be able to see you again?"

When Bulkhead didn't answer, Miko dashed away to let all her emotions out in solitude.

"She hates me," the Wrecker stated.

Bumblebee put a hand on his shoulder, telling him that it wasn't his fault.

"Bee's right, Bulkhead," Raf added, holding back his own tears. "I mean, with everything that's going on, I...I...can't believe he's gone!"

Now Raf had joined in crying away.

The Autobots said nothing, for there was nothing left to be said. These few would know that Jack gave up his life for them, but the world would only see him as another dead teenager.

* * *

(Coruscant)

Darth Sidious wasn't used to unforeseen occurrences. His apprentice, Darth Tyranus, and himself had orchestrated the Clone Wars. With constant updates on both sides, the war would be at a constant stalemate, save for a few special victories on either side. But less than an hour ago, he sensed a tremor in the Force so powerful that it gave him a hell of a headache. He hadn't felt such a tremor since Anakin Skywalker's birth 20 years ago. Unfortunately for him, this tremor occurred during an "important" meeting with the blasted senators who did nothing more than complain. He perfected the guise of the warm-hearted Chancellor Palpatine, but he was not immune to the tremors.

He had to excuse himself, brushing it off as a migraine, which wasn't completely a lie. What he needed to do was contact his apprentice as soon as possible. He used a channel that was only used if his apprentice was in dire need or if Palpatine had something of the utmost importance to convey.

The hologram of former Jedi Master, Count Dooku, appeared on the holoprojector.

"What is your bidding, my master?" he asked, giving a bow. "This is an unexpected surprise."

"There was a great disturbance in the Force," Sidious explained. "Surely you sensed it."

Dooku nodded. "Asajj and I both felt the tremor. Such a tremor has not filled the Force in many years. What does it mean?"

An evil grin appeared on his face, masking his concern. "It seems that a new player has come to the Clone Wars."

* * *

(Jedi Temple)

Grand Master Yoda of the Jedi Order closed his eyes in deep meditation, pondering the mysterious tremor that occurred not so long ago. He tried to pinpoint the source, but he could not sense what caused this. He had summoned Mace Windu so that the two could discuss this phenomenon and decide on the best course of action.

As he meditated, the Korun Jedi Master entered his chambers. Judging by the fact that he was in pain meant that he felt the disturbance as well.  
"Is this about the tremor?" he asked, taking a seat.

Yoda nodded. "A great one. Felt such tremor, I have not in a long time."

"Every Jedi has sensed this disturbance. The side-effects are ranging from headaches to migraines depending on the person. I am concerned at how the Jedi in the field will react." He decided to voice his ultimate concern. "Master Yoda, what if the Sith making their move?"

Yoda closed his eyes for a moment. "Tell you, I cannot. The Dark Side continues to cloud everything. Be on alert, we must be. To be caught off-guard, grave consequences there would be."

"I believe that it could be located around a person," Mace speculated. "Like Skywalker."

"Speculate, we can," Yoda replied, "but waste time, it would. As I said, cautiously, we must proceed. Continue to meditate on this I shall."

Mace bowed before saying, "May the Force be with us."

**As you can see, I have made significant changes. I wanted to work more emotionally with the characters. I decided this time around to have Jack be found by the Lurmen because he was **_**blasted into the Space Bridge.**_** That would cause severe burns. I also decided to add June's reaction because I didn't want to gloss over it like I did last time. **

**Review, vote, etc, again.**

**Next chapter: An object falls from the sky and Jack goes to investigate.**


	3. Chapter 2: Jedi Crash

Chapter 2: Jedi Crash

(Two weeks after arrival)

Pros and cons seemed to come up in every single situation Jack was ever in. The lemurs, or Lurmen, as they are called, were as primitive as Native Americans from the 18th century. They built their houses from giant seedpods that fell from equally gigantic trees, grew their own fruit, and their small numbers made it easy to get along with them. Unfortunately, because they were so primitive, it would be a long time before Jack could find a way home. They were also pacifists, which was good for them, but they outlawed weapons. Not wanting to leave himself defenseless, Jack constructed a spear in secret and brought it with him every time he ventured away from the village.

Jack had gotten along with Wag Too and Tub and usually went with them to gather food or materials for their houses. His injuries were healing quicker than humanly possible, much to his surprise. In a couple of weeks, the only evidence of burns would not be as noticeable. He still had to take it easy, for it would be all too easy to ruin the healing process.

Ever since the teenager arrived, the quantity of food increased, much to the villagers' joy. He worked harder and could carry more than the Lurmen could. He considered this work to be paying off the massive debt he owed them, despite them not asking for payment.

All in all, this planet was truly a utopia, save for the predators that lurked in the tall grass.

Mastiff phalones were predators that put many others to shame. They were the size of a lion, but as cunning as a velociraptor from Jurassic Park. **(AN: Not the ones from Jurassic 3. The ****ones from the first two.)** Half-bird, and half-mammal, these creatures could crush a neck with one bite from their beaks. The speed of these creatures made it extremely difficult to run from them. One slip-up, and whatever prey that was in their path would be devoured.

Fortunately, the Lurmen came up with a way to combat these creatures without harming them: one group would distract the creature while the other one tied it up with some rope. Once the mastiff phalone was immobilized, it would be let go after a few minutes. So far, Jack hadn't encountered the things personally, yet, but he had seen them, and that was enough for him. Ever since then, he brought his spear and disguised it as a walking stick so he wouldn't draw attention from the Lurmen.

"How many baskets did we fill?" the teenager asked, taking a bite out of piece of fruit.

"Two, so far," Wag Too answered. "With your timely arrival, we already have more than enough food to last us through winter."

"Perhaps three, if we keep up the good work," Tub added, adding more fruit to his basket.

Suddenly, Wag Too pointed to the sky. "Look! What in the world is that?"

The others turned their gazes to the sky, awestruck at the sight.

A fireball seemed to be descending towards the ground rather quickly. Jack's first guess was that a meteorite was falling, but the shape was wrong and the fireball was too small. Something in that fireball attracted Jack's attention, something that he couldn't explain. For some reason, he felt drawn to this thing, whatever it was, and he couldn't ignore it.

"Have you ever seen anything like it?" Wag Too questioned.

Tub shook his head. "It's really beautiful...in a really dangerous way."

The fireball crashed into the ground, causing the ground to shake slightly. Smoke billowed in the distance, but fortunately, this was not the start of an apocalyptic event.

Still, Tub felt safer getting back to the village. "I think we should head back."

Wag Too nodded and shook a mesmerized Jack. "Jack? You're zoning out on us! We need to return to our home."

The teen snapped out of his daze and turned to the Lurmen. "I'm gonna go check it out."

Wag Too looked like he swallowed a lemon. "Do you have a death wish? You don't know what that fireball was, and this is mastiff territory. You won't last out here."

He smirked at them. "I don't die easily, Wag Too. Besides, you gave me a clean bill of health."

"If I had known you would be foolish enough to attempt something like this, I'd have tied you to your bed, you crazy human."

_Ratchet would like this guy._ He thought. "I can't explain it, but...I feel like I need to do this. I need to figure out what that thing is."

Before the Lurmen could protest, Jack sped off in the direction of the crash.

"He's lost it," Tub observed, shaking his head.

"I hope he returns safely," Wag Too hoped, staring at his retreating form. "Let's bring the baskets home."

Together, the two of them gathered the three baskets, the third not completely filled, and returned to their village. If they had stuck around longer, they would have seen Jack retrieve a spear from behind a tree before he set off on his suicidal mission.

* * *

Jedi Master Aayla Secura wiped the sweat off her forehead while she tended to her fellow Jedi's wounds. Today was considered to be a never-ending, constantly-running-into-bad-luck one. In one day, her fleet was annihilated, Anakin Skywalker was gravely injured during the rescue operation due to a sudden disturbance in the Force that threw off his concentration, the hyperdrive sent their ship far from the fleet, and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, after narrowly avoiding the sun, crash landed on what seemed to be a primitive planet. So, yeah. She had seen better days.

Captain Rex and Commander Bly were setting up a tent for Anakin, Cameron was setting up a fire, and Lucky and Flash patrolled the area, keeping sharp eyes and ears out for any hostiles. Ahsoka, however, seemed to be moping and pacing at the same time, blaming herself for the incident. She _did_ cause the crash after all, but the events leading up to it were out of her control. Still, she couldn't help but feel slightly responsible.

"Ahsoka!" Aayla called out.

Immediately, the Togruta ran towards the tent in a hurry. "What's going on?"

The Twi'lek gave her a grave look. "Anakin doesn't have much time. We have to find help tonight!"

Ahsoka nodded, already knowing the gravity of the situation. "Okay, you and Bly go south. Rex and I will stay here with Anakin."

"No, Ahsoka," the Jedi Master refuted. "In order to get help quickly, we _must_ work together."

"I can't leave him!" she cried out. "Master, I know that if I was hurt, he'd _never_ leave me behind!"

Aayla understood, but she remained firm in her decision. "I know this is hard, Ahsoka, but Anakin has to stay behind and we have to go _now!_ Get your priorities straight, Padawan!" The day was really grating on her.

If it was possible, Ahsoka's morale sunk even lower.

Aayla realized this and backed off a little. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing more we can do for him. We must do all we can to get off this planet." She put her hand on the Togruta's shoulder. "As a Jedi, it is your duty to do what is best for the group."

Ahsoka realized this logic, but that didn't mean she would be happy about it. She heaved a sigh and stared at the sun, which was setting in the distance.

Commander Bly approached the Jedi Master with a wooden tablet. "General Secura, look!"

The Twi'lek took it and examined the picture that was etched upon it, which was a predator charging at a small creature in front of a gigantic tree.

"We're not the only ones here on this planet," Bly observed. "There has to be some kind of life here, hopefully intelligent life."

Suddenly, a roar was voiced from the plains. Instantly, all the clones activated their helmet lights and scanned the area, readying their blasters in the event of a confrontation. So far, nothing was willing to come after them. The clones relaxed slightly, but they stayed on their toes.

"If you don't mind me asking, General Secura," Bly continued, "where exactly are we going?"

"To go find the people who live on this planet," the Twi'lek answered.

Ahsoka stared intently at the picture tablet, coming up with plausible theory. "It seems to me that the people we're looking for live near giant trees, perhaps even live on them, like the Wookiees."

Aayla nodded in approval. "Very perceptive, Padawan."

Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka knelt down near Anakin's body. "Be strong, Master. Just little bit longer. Rex will watch over you."

"It is time to go," Aayla announced.

"Don't worry, kid," Rex assured. "I'll take good care of him."

"Captain Rex, keep your locator on!" Aayla ordered. "We should be back by daybreak with whoever or whatever lives on this planet."

The captain stood at attention in response. "Got it, General Secura." He relaxed slightly when he looked down at Ahsoka. "Hey, kid. Good luck."

Ahsoka smiled at the clone before joining Aayla, Bly, and the three clones.

"Come on, guys!" the Twi'lek exclaimed. "Let's move out!"

In an instant, the group started jogging towards the setting sun, time against them.

* * *

Jack crouched in the bushes, not daring to move a muscle. Two mastiff phalones were divulging themselves on a recent kill. Jack knew that if he made any brash moves, he would end up on the dinner table like that creature they just killed. He kept his head down, crawling through the grass and trying not to gag and the raw meat. He hoped that they would be so indulged in their meal that they would not notice someone trying to get away.

_SNAP!_

_Damn it!_

In unison, the two carnivores perked their heads up, their blood-covered beaks facing his direction. Not wanting to take any chances, the teen started running for his life. Intrigued, the phalones chased after a potentially easy meal, ready for another kill. His heart pounding in his ears and adrenaline coursing through his body, Jack ran faster than he ever had in his entire life. The predators were still behind him, but overtaking the teen would be a problem.

Jack spotted a giant tree in the distance and dashed towards it with a plan in motion. The roars of the stalkers sent shivers down his body, but he did not slip up. His life depended on whether or not his risky plan would work. He could hear the claws getting closer as he started to run out of breath and energy.

As if fate was laughing at him, Jack tripped over on exposed root, crashing face first in the dirt. He rolled onto his back and thrust the spear upward, impaling the phalone in the mouth. Managing to strike deep enough for the spear to come out through the top of its head, the predator screamed in agony as it collapsed to the ground, dying slowly.

Enraged, the hunting partner rammed into Jack, sending the teen in one direction and spear in another. Jack, groaning in pain, looked up and saw his ace in the hole as the phalone swooped in for the kill. He quickly rolled away as a gigantic seedpod fell off the tree and hit the ground, crushing the predator instantly.

Panting heavily, Jack stared at his handiwork. He killed a creature and caused another to die using his ingenuity. Since when did he start getting good at killing things nowadays? He shrugged it off, knowing that in every situation, he had no choice. The one thing he was happy about was that he didn't enjoy slaughtering the phalones. Picking up his bloody spear and wiping it off with his shirt, he moved on, prepared once again for anything that comes his way.

* * *

"I can still sense your worry for Anakin," Aayla observed as the group walked at a steady pace, "your attachment to him."

"It's just," Ahsoka sighed. "I get so confused sometimes. It's forbidden for Jedi to form attachments, yet we're supposed to be compassionate."

To the Padawan's surprise, Aayla did not rebuke her. "It is nothing to be ashamed of, Ahsoka. I went through the same process at your age with my own master."

Ahsoka couldn't believe it. "Really? You?"

The Twi'lek smiled as she began to reminisce. "He was like a father to me. I realized that for the greater good, I had to let him go." The conversation turned into a warning. "Don't lose a thousand lives just to save one."

"Maybe," Ahsoka admitted, not entirely convinced, "but that doesn't mean I can't try to save his life."

"We've got something!" a clone, Cameron exclaimed, pointing to the left.

"Check it out!" Bly ordered.

Saluting, the three clones ran towards the area Cameron pointed out to see some clothes lying in the dirt and covered in blood. Another clone, Flash, scanned the blood, and found it to be 100% human.

"This was an outfit meant for space," the third clone, Lucky, observed, holding what was once an astronaut's suit.

Flash picked up a shirt that was burnt, covered in blood, and had a gaping hole in the back. "My guess is that there was an explosion and he got caught in in it."

Bly, Ahsoka, and Aayla joined them, seeing the dirt trail behind the ruined clothes.

"Someone skidded across the ground here," Bly stated, kneeling down. "There's blood here as well. Most likely from the same guy."

"Can you see where the blood trail goes?" Aayla questioned, crossing her arms, concerned.

Cameron activated his lights and peered in the grass, finding human footprints and other tracks that belonged to an unknown animal or many animals.

"I think he was carried," the clone inferred. "Tracks indicate that a few creatures came over here near where the human tracks end. They didn't drag him. They could have carried that way, west!"

Ahsoka frowned, concentrating more on the dirt trail. "This doesn't make sense."

The Twi'lek turned to her. "What do you mean, Ahsoka?"

She pointed to where the trail started. "This is where our mystery guy starts skidding, right? Behind the trail, there's nothing. No previous footprints, explosions, nothing. It was like the guy literally appeared out of nowhere!"

Aayla looked perplexed at the situation. There was no wreckage, meaning he wasn't flying at the time. The impact wasn't big enough to warrant that he fell out of the sky. The only explanation was teleportation, but it was a rare trait among Jedi, one that could only be achieved by those truly in tune with the Force. The more she thought about it, the less sense it made.

"Let's follow the trail," the Jedi Master suggested. "Judging from the tracks, we are close to a civilization. Find the person, we possibly find help."

The group headed west while continuing to keep their eyes peeled, not noticing that they were being watched by a certain black-haired teenager.

* * *

_ More aliens!?_ Jack thought. _What kind of place did I wind up in? If Miko were here, she'd be taking snapshots of these people and asking them stupid questions. Better stay down, keep a low profile before I make my move. _He paused for a moment, doing a head count. _Wait, where's the fifth guy?_

Suddenly, he felt the muzzle of a cold weapon on the back of his head.

"Don't move," Flash warned.

_Scrap! Can life suck even more for me?_

"Drop your weapon!" the clone demanded.

Deciding not to tempt fate, Jack dropped the spear while putting his hands on the back of head instinctively.

"Move!"

The group walked towards him with Ahsoka and Aayla in the front and the clones covering each escape route, their weapons aimed at the teen's chest.

"You were right, General," the clone said, pushing Jack forward. "We were being watched."

Jack looked at the dirt pile and noticed the words, "WE'RE BEING WATCHED!" etched in it. He mentally face-palmed himself for not noticing it, but how did they do it? He did not see a single soul write anything in the dirt.

"Do you think you guys can aim your weapons away from me?" the teen requested meekly. "It's kind of making me uncomfortable."

Ahsoka scoffed at his apparent stupidity. "Right, and we wouldn't want you to feel uncomfortable. Who are you?"

Jack held up his hands in front of him. "Give me a break. I'm new to talking to aliens."

"Aliens!?" Ahsoka bristled at that. "Did you just call us that!?"

Normally, the Togruta was well-restrained, but their ship was crashed, Anakin was injured, time was running out, and this kid just called them aliens. Her patience was running out.

"That's what my race calls people from outer space...right?"

"Only the dumb ones," Ahsoka snorted.

"Ahsoka, enough!" Aayla exclaimed. "Jedi do not treat others like that. You know better than that!"

_Jedi? Is that the name of their species? What exactly are these people?_

Ahsoka didn't talk back, but she didn't apologize either. Jack guessed that given they were trying to save a life, her emotions were getting out of control.

"Lower your weapons!" Aayla demanded as she walked forward. "My apologies. We would appreciate if you do not refer to us as aliens. That is considered to be an insult."

Jack nodded. "Duly noted."

Aayla went on. "We are Jedi of the Republic. Our ship crashed miles from here, and our friend is badly injured. Do you have a settlement nearby?"

Jack hesitated for a moment, thinking over the matter. On one hand, these people could be pulling a fast one over him and slaughter the Lurmen the first chance they get for unknown reasons. On the other hand, they could actually be needing help, and, for some reason, he felt like he could trust these people.

He decided to trust his instincts and pointed towards the sun. "That way. You've got a ways to go. If you want, I'll lead you there." He held out his hand. "Name's Jack Darby, ma'am."

She smirked, shaking his hand. "Ma'am? I'm not that old. My name is Aayla Secura. You may call me Aayla or General Secura if you feel the need for formalities."

"Okay, um...Aayla," he responded.

He was quickly introduced to the others before leading them towards the Lurmen village.

_"Master, what if he's leading us to a trap?"_ Ahsoka asked through the Force-link.

_"I do not believe he is,"_ she replied, _"but I would be prepared if the matter should arrive."_

* * *

A cloudless night covered the world, the moon lighting the way for the group. They came upon the giant trees Ahsoka discovered in the picture and came to investigate. In front of the trees, as if it was an omen, two corpses of mastiff phalones blocked their path, one stabbed and another crushed by a gigantic seedpod.

"That's rather ominous," Ahsoka observed, disgusted by the rotting bodies.

"I would have to agree with you, Ahsoka," Aayla added, also uncomfortable.

"Sorry about that," Jack apologized, scratching the back of his head. "That was my handiwork."

He got their undivided attention as they turned towards him, shock written all over their faces.

"_You_ killed these things?" Bly asked in disbelief. "With a spear?"

"It was a do or die situation," Jack admitted.

"Impressive," Cameron complemented, moving towards the giant tree.

"Wait!" Jack exclaimed suddenly. "Don't get too close! Giant seedpods rain from these trees now and then."

The clone immediately backed off and not a moment too soon, for a couple of seedpods decided to crash to the ground right then and there.

"No wonder it's deserted!" Ahsoka exclaimed, surprised once again. "It's a death trap! You'd have to be crazy to want to dodge these on a regular basis."

_Wait until she meets Miko._ Jack thought inwardly. _She'll _beg_ to dodge these seedpods._

Coming back to reality, the teen indicated another trail. "See that? The Lurmen made trails by dragging the seedpods to their village."

"Are the Lurmen your people?" Aayla asked.

He shook his head. "Nope. I'm an outsider like you guys. They took me in when they found me on death's door. If they know that you have an injured friend, they'll help you."

"Let's move on!" the Twi'lek announced.

"Careful!" Jack warned. "Mastiff phalones roam these areas, and they are fantastic predators!"

Time of the essence, the group took off running with Jack in tow.

_"Padawan, do you sense it?"_ Aayla asked through their Force-link.

_"Yes,"_ she answered. _"The Force is strong in him. Very strong. That's probably why we didn't sense him earlier."_ She paused for a minute. _"Master, do you think-?"_

_"I will not jump to conclusions, but I won't dismiss it either,"_ she replied. _"Whatever the case may be, we'll bring him to Coruscant."_

_"And if he doesn't want to come?"_

_"We will cross that bridge when we get there."_

At the same time, Jack was thinking, _I can't believe this. In three days, I have joined a nomadic group of lemurs, killed two predators, and currently helping aliens save the life of some guy. It's official: there's no way I can live a normal life after this. _

Their thoughts were interrupted as a loud bird call was sounded. The group instantly halted in the middle of a clearing, the clones and Jack aiming their weapons at the tall grass. The two females had their hands on their lightsabers, but they did not activate them yet. All of them listened closely as rapid rustling approached them.

"Here they come," Jack whispered fearfully.

On cue three mastiff phalones launched themselves at the group, going in for the kill.

"On your left!" Lucky yelled, aiming his gun at the creature.

He was knocked into the air before he could even get a shot off. The impact on the ground cracked his neck, killing him.

The two Jedi pulled out their lightsabers, but they were knocked aside. Bly shared the same fate. Jack tossed his spear into a phalone's leg before grabbing Lucky's fallen blaster. He tried to shoot the bird thing only to be pinned down by it, loosing the blaster in the process. The claws tore his leg, eliciting a cry of pain from Jack's mouth. With its massive beak, it tried to chomp the teenager to bits while he tried to hold it back with his unpinned hand. Flash and Cameron were both pinned down before the birds starting chomping on their necks, opening their throats.

With fear and urgency coursing through him, Jack freed his other hand and reached for Lucky's gun again while keeping the beak away from his face. As his strength started to fail, the gun slid over to his hand impossibly. He shot the phalone in the chin four times. Four blue lasers exited the top of its brain, ending the creature's life. Bly shot the creature that was feasting on Flash in the eye, killing it as well. Seeing that its comrades were dead, the final phalone tossed Cameron's body into Bly before fleeing the scene. The whole ordeal lasted 18 seconds.

Aayla and Ahsoka levitated the dead phalone off of a petrified Jack. This close call was far worse than the one he had earlier.

"Cameron's dead," Bly announced after checking his pulse. "So are Lucky and Flash."

At the sight of their mangled, bloody bodies, particularly Flash's, Jack stumbled into the bushes and started vomiting, not caring that everyone was watching. He had never seen human death before, but these deaths have carved their way into his mind, threatening to haunt him in his sleep.

Ahsoka, forgetting her suspicions about the teen, ran to his aid and put her hand on his shoulder. "Jack, it's okay. It's over!"

"It's horrible!" Jack coughed, his voice hoarse.

Aayla quickly moved the bodies into the bushes so that Jack wouldn't vomit again. She truly felt sympathy for the boy, but they had no time.

"We must move on," the Twi'lek stated grimly. "There may be more of them."

"Come on," Ahsoka said, taking Jack's hand into hers. "Up you go."

The teen, with the Togruta's help, pulled himself up, but collapsed on the ground due to the injury on his leg.

"Not good," Ahsoka stated, taking out a first-aid kit out of her pack.

Jack tried to get up again, saying, "I'm fine. I can manage," before falling once again.

"Clearly," Bly replied, his voice dripping in sarcasm.

Aayla knelt down to examine the wound, which ran from his ankle to his foot. With a canteen of water, the Jedi cleaned out the wound before bandaging it up. It was only cosmetic, but the last thing they needed was for the injury to get infected. They let Jack drink the rest of it after convincing him that it wouldn't deprive the rest of them.

"I don't want to be a burden," Jack said, gritting his teeth in pain.

"You are not," Aayla assured. "This is what we Jedi are meant to do." She turned to Bly. "Commander, can you carry him?"

The clone nodded. "Right away, General." He hoisted Jack over his back. "Don't worry, kid. As long as you don't squirm, we'll be fine."

"Thank you," Jack said. "All of you."

Nodding in response, the three once again dashed down the path in a hurry. Despite the awkward position he was in, he passed out from all the trauma.

* * *

_He was inside of a burning house, kneeling down. The walls and the ceiling were collapsing, but he didn't care. He was busy crying over a body that was stripped of all flesh, leaving nothing but blood-covered bones._

_ He heard laughing...evil laughing behind him. He turned around to see a silhouette of a man standing among the flames as if he belonged among them. The eyes of this person glowed yellow, gazing at the teen with malice. There was an object in man's hand...a gun! He pointed it at him and fired._

* * *

"NO!" Jack yelled, regaining consciousness.

Bly, who was still carrying him, tumbled to the ground in surprise. The Jedi once again stopped in their tracks due to the teenager's antics.

"What was that about!?" the clone demanded, getting back up.

"I had a nightmare," Jack answered, groaning in pain. "A bad one." He looked around and smiled, recognizing the area. "We're almost there. Just over that hill."

After the two got to their feet, they continued up the hill; this time at a slower pace. Jack could walk, but he had a limp now. Bly stayed next to him in case he fell over again.

Once they reached the top, they spotted the village.

"Pod Central," Ahsoka said with a grin. "We made it."

The trio sled down the hill before the Jedi levitated Jack down.

"Thanks," he said.

"Don't mention it," Ahsoka replied, smiling.

"Let me go first," he offered. "They may be more receptive if I introduce you guys."

Aayla nodded in agreement. "Very well."

Once Jack stepped foot in the village, he was instantly greeted by Wag Too and Tub, who were extremely thrilled at his return.

"You're a crazy human, Jack!" the healer exclaimed. "Going out there injured to investigate a fireball!" He looked and his leg and glared at the human. "And you injured yourself again!? I'm starting to believe that you have a death wish!"

He grinned back. "Nice to see you, Too. I made some friends along the way."

On cue, the Jedi and Bly entered the village. Instead of a warm reception that Jack hoped for, they received looks of curiosity and slight twinges of fear and distrust. Ahsoka attempted to break the ice by saying, "Hello," but it didn't work.

"Who are they, boy?" Elder Kaa questioned as he limped over to them.

"Off-worlders like myself," he answered. "They crashed on this planet."

Tee Watt Kaa eyed the strangers suspiciously and decided to get to the point. "What have you come here for?"

_No hellos or introductions._ Jack thought grimly. _Not a good sign._

"We are peacekeepers," Aayla answered. "We are Jedi from the Galactic Republic."

The elder's eyes narrowed and the word "Jedi."

The Jedi Master went on. "Our ship crashed a few miles away, and one of us is very, badly injured."

"They're telling the truth, Elder Kaa," Jack affirmed.

"We need your help," Aayla implored.

To Jack's surprise, Elder Kaa shook his head. "Violence only breeds violence!" the elder lectured. "Jedi are no peacekeepers."

"We are fighting for freedom!" Ahsoka shot back.

"And freedom requires fear and death?" he questioned. "We colonized this system to find solace from your wretched war. We came here to find peace. You must leave. You will only destroy what small amount of peace is left in the galaxy. You will only bring the destruction of us."

Aayla continued to plead her case. "Regardless of the Clone Wars and our part in them, we still need your help."

Tee Watt Kaa would not back down. "I'm afraid I must do what's best for my people. We cannot help you."

"Are you serious!?" Jack shouted, startling everyone in the vicinity. "You saved my life! Why can't you save their friend!? This isn't about the fricking war; this is about decency! Are you really going to let him die!?"

Jack knew he crossed serious boundaries by losing his temper like this, but he could not believe the hypocrisy from the leader. Was this Lurmen so prejudiced against this war that he would refuse aid on those who were currently _begging_ for help?

There was a long pause before Tee Watt Kaa ushered Wag Too forward.

"You are right," he admitted. "I cannot ignore a plea for help. I will send my son, Wag Too, to help your friend. He is a healer, but only one Jedi may go with him. The other must stay as insurance. We wouldn't want a surprise attack on a village or the kidnapping of our only healer."

"Bly and I will stay here," Aayla assured. "Padawan, go and help your master."

The elder's eyes widened in horror. "No! The clone and his blaster cannot stay. He will go with the Youngling."

"I can handle it," Ahsoka responded arrogantly. "I don't need help."

"Ahsoka-!"

"Don't worry," she assured.

"Be mindful of your surroundings, Padawan," Aayla warned. "Those creatures are still out there."

"We won't be long," Ahsoka replied, running off.

Bly and Wag Too soon followed, the latter keeping up by spinning into a ball. Jack had to admire their endurance. Who knows how long they stayed up for, and they still had the strength to keep running.

"Sorry for losing my temper, Elder Kaa," he apologized.

The elder held up his hand. "No need. I understand. Come with me. Both of you."

Aayla and Jack briefly glanced at each other in confusion before following Tee Watt Kaa into his seedpod home. The two of them took seats as the elder handed them the herbal tea.

"Here! It will restore your strength," he said.

"Thank you," Aayla replied.

Jack took a brief sip before setting it down. He still preferred water.

"I hope you are aware that the Jedi did not initiate the Clone Wars," she continued. "Our only intention is to end it and restore peace to our galaxy."

Tee Watt Kaa shook his head in frustration. "What difference does it make who started the war and who only wants to end it? No side is free of fault. It takes two to fight."

"Isn't liberty worth fighting for?" she questioned.

"I think so," Jack agreed. "I believe that war should not be necessary, but I also believe that if you are being oppressed or threatened, you should, at the very least, defend yourself."

The elder nodded. "Perhaps, but is all of this worth killing for? Fighting for something doesn't mean you have to destroy everything in your path. Only when you lay down your arms and pursue a cause of nonviolence can you make this claim to me that the Jedi are peacekeepers."

Jack scoffed at the idea of Decepticons deciding to lay their arms down. "What about the ones that won't stop until everything is destroyed?"

He limped out of the room to get a bit of fresh air. He sat on a log on the outskirts of the village, overlooking it. He understood Tee Watt Kaa's stance, but he believed that sometimes ending a life to save another has to be done, like what happened to those phalones.

"You would make a fine Jedi, Jack," Aayla said, sitting next to him.

He scoffed again. "Hardly. I don't wield glowsticks or have magic powers like you guys."

Aayla fought back the urge to tell him that he can wield the Force. Enough was on his plate at the moment. "You speak as if you are one, though. You saw both sides of the debate and did what you could to stay neutral. You are more mature than most people your age. Why is that?"

Jack paused again, wondering if he should just admit the truth or keep it to himself. In his brief time getting to know her, Aayla seemed like a wise enough person to talk to and she viewed him as an equal, not as a child or someone who was helpless.

"When my sorry-excuse-for-a-dad left, it was just me and Mom. I didn't want to be a burden to her, so I made several sacrifices. I got a job when I turned sixteen to help finance my life and hers, and I rode a bicycle wherever I went so that Mom wouldn't have to waste money driving me around."

"You gave up your childhood to become an adult," Aayla observed. "Not many would be willing to make such a sacrifice."

"I always kept wondering about what could have been," Jack added, "but it's useless. I don't really know another life."

Aayla put a hand on his shoulder. "Not all are destined to live a life of peace and prosperity, Jack."

"That's comforting," he said with a snarky tone.

"Let me finish: someday you will find the peace you are looking for. You just have to wait and be patient."

Suddenly, a memory flashed through his mind of the incident last night. "Wait a minute! When I reached for the blaster, it came to me. Did you push it to me?"

Aayla smiled, knowing that he remembered. "No, I did not, and neither did Ahsoka. You summoned it with the Force."

"The Force? What's that?"

"Well, the Force is what gives a Jedi his or her power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together."

"Then why isn't everyone a Jedi?"

Aayla cringed. This was going to be tough to explain. "Inside our bodies lay midi-chlorians, microscopic life forms that reside inside of our cells. The midi-chlorians bond us with the Force; the higher the midi-chlorian count, the more powerful the bond is. Everyone has these life forms, but when a count is high enough, we are able to tap into the Force and receive special powers." She raised a stick in the air without touching it. "The most common is telekinesis."

A lightbulb flickered in his mind. "That's how you wrote that message yesterday."

She nodded, placing the stick back on the ground. "Why don't you try?"

Jack shrugged. _I have nothing to lose._ "Um, okay. I'll give it a shot."

He stretched his hand towards the stick, but nothing happened.

"Don't think that you can achieve this," Aayla taught. "_Know_ you can. It's all in the mind. Concentrate."

Determined, Jack stretched out his hand again, but he decided to mentally coach himself. _I've seen what these people can do. If I have this ability as well, then I can do this. Maybe if I have a goal in mind, this could be easier. I know: I can see the look on everyone's faces when I do this in front of them. The wide-eyes of the Autobots, the dropped jaw of Miko, and the surprise from Mom. _

The stick rose higher than when Aayla lifted it. It was about fifty feet off the ground. When Jack dropped his jaw in amazement, he lost his concentration and the stick plummeted towards him. With telekinesis, Aayla prevented it from hitting his head, but she too was astounded.

"I'm impressed," she said, tossing the stick aside. "Not many can do that on their second try."

His grin widened. "Wait until Mom sees this. She'll flip! So, what's the glowstick about?"

She ignited her blade. "This is the lightsaber, the weapon of a Jedi. When one crafts it, the weapon becomes their life. As long as possible, no Jedi must let their weapon get destroyed."

Jack made a mental note to makes spares if he ever became a Jedi. "Can I hold it?"

She passed the blade to him, but not before delivering a warning. "Do not touch the blade. You will easily lose your hand."

Proceeding with caution, Jack held the blade by the hilt. In weight, the weapon was very light. However, he felt power emanating from the lightsaber. He swung it around a couple of times before deactivating it.

"Nice," he said, passing it back to her. "It's a beautiful weapon."

"Well, it must be if I have your approval," Aayla joked.

He smiled back, but another thought occurred to him. "I know that you guys are in the middle of a war right now, but is there any way for you guys to help me get home?"

Aayla paused for a moment before answering. "I don't know, young one. If we can find where you live, it will be easier, but if not…"

"I have less of a chance at getting home," Jack finished sadly.

"Where are you from?" she asked.

"A planet called Earth," he responded before adding hope to his tone. "Maybe you've heard of it?"

Sadly, the Twi'lek shook her head. "No, I'm afraid not. I'm sorry."

Jack sighed. His chances at getting home were getting more slim by the second. It was official; he had the worst luck in the world.

At long last, the two of them spotted Ahsoka, Wag Too, and Bly returning, carrying a stretcher that held Anakin. Tee Watt Kaa was pleasantly surprised that his son was home and safe. As they placed the stretcher down, the Lurmen surrounded Anakin in curiosity.

"Uh, Snips?" the man asked Ahsoka, clearly uncomfortable.

Jack snorted. "Snips? Really?"

A glare from the Togruta shut him up.

After taking a few minutes to stretch, Ahsoka and Bly carried Anakin to the house of healing where Wag Too would heal him. Jack stayed behind and watched the Lurmen put the oils on Anakin.

"You need to let Wag Too have a look at your leg," Tee Watt Kaa advised.

"Oh, yeah," Jack replied, looking at his bandaged wound. "I almost forgot."

Within a few minutes, Jack was put in the same room as Wag Too, who was currently frustrated with the teen, replaced his bandages with ones coated with the oils from the pods.

"First your back, now your leg," the healer stated, shaking his head. "You're gonna get yourself killed within the week if you keep this up. You're fortunate that your old wounds did not open up."

"Thanks, Wag Too," Jack responded with a smirk, the oils soothing the pain. "Your sympathy is a great comfort."

The mission to save Anakin was a success, but Jack knew that they had to find a way of the planet. According to the Jedi, the Republic was looking for them, but it could take days, weeks, maybe even months. All the teenager knew was that if he didn't find a way home, he would never see his mom or Arcee ever again, and that only fueled his determination.  
_  
Don't give up, guys. I'm coming soon._

**I think it's funny that Clone Wars crossovers usually start on this Lemur planet. Hope this version is a bit better.**

**Nest chapter: The Battle of Maridun!**

**Tune in next time. Review, criticize without flames, and vote for my other story ****_The Sky Warriors._**


	4. Chapter 3: Liberating Lemurs

Chapter 3: Liberating Lemurs

For the next couple of days, the outsiders resided in Pod Central, as Ahsoka liked to call it. Fortunately, the Lurmen, not including Tee Watt Kaa, did not shun them. In fact, they were excited about the newcomers. The clones helped out the Lurmen gather more fruit and stack baskets since help was usually needed around the village.

Jack met Anakin officially after he was summoned to the healing house where Ahsoka and Aayla were.

"So, you're the mysterious kid that they've been telling me about," Anakin stated.

Jack raised his eyebrows slightly. Like Ahsoka, who turned out to be Anakin's Padawan, this guy did not trust him either. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree apparently.

"Yes, I am," the teen responded coolly. "My name is Jack Darby. And you must be Anakin Skywalker. I've heard about you from your friends."

The Jedi Knight rose into a sitting position with the help of Ahsoka and replied, "I wanted to thank you for helping us out."

"No problem," the teen said with a smile. "I was glad to do it."

_Well, he's not a spy or a Separatist._ Anakin deduced. _This kid might be all right._ "So, unless you happen to be a native to this planet, where are you from, kid?"

"Earth," Jack answered. "I don't suppose you've heard of it, have you?"

Anakin shook his head. "Sorry, I haven't. Perhaps there's another name for it?"

"No, there isn't. Not that I'm aware of."

"You never did tell us how you got here," Ahsoka observed. "When we found your trail, it looked like you literally appeared out of nowhere. How was that possible?"

"You would not believe me if I told you," Jack stated.

"Try us," Aayla dared. "You might be surprised."

Once again, Jack hesitated to reveal more than he was letting on. The last thing he needed was to be caught in a mass deception by these people, and yet, there was something about these aliens that gave off an aura of trust. He couldn't explain it, (that seemed to be happening a lot to him lately) but he felt like he could sincerely tell these people the truth.

Before he could, though, Commander Bly entered the tent.

"General," he said with a grave tone.

"Yes, Commander," Anakin replied.

"We've got a Separatist ship incoming."

"Friendlies?" Jack hoped.

"Not even close," Ahsoka snarled, baring her teeth.

The teen nearly recoiled at how sharp the teeth were, but he quickly got over it.

"This is neutral space," Wag Too pointed out, concerned.

"It won't be neutral for long," Anakin pointed out, "not if the Separatists have their way. Help me up!"

He tried to get up on his own, but managed to succeed in hurting himself.

"Don't struggle," the healer advised. "I'm sorry, but you're still too injured to move."

Jack looked outside and spotted a brown ship landing in the distant. Already, he was getting nervous about the situation. Tee Watt Kaa didn't help the situation as he marched into the hut.

"What menace have you brought to our village now, Jedi?" he questioned, furious.

"Father, you can't blame them!" Wag Too defended.

"He's right," Ahsoka added. "The Separatists don't even know we're here."

"And they _can't_ know," Aayla said with urgency. "We've got to hide."

Elder Kaa wasn't through. "Your presence here endangers us. You must leave before your enemies find you."

Ahsoka widened her eyes in horror. "But you'll need our help."

"We can help by not getting caught," Jack suggested. "If the Separatists are as bad as you say they are, then any sign of Republic or Jedi presence will give the creeps a reason to exterminate the Lurmen."

"They can't fight them alone!" the Togruta protested.

"We will not fight them at all," Elder Kaa decided. "We would rather die than kill others."

_It sounds noble, but it just makes it easier to be walked over._ Jack thought, crossing his arms.

"You're going to surrender?" she asked, growing more horrified by the second. "But, how can you-?"

"Ahsoka, stop!" Anakin interrupted, grunting in pain. "If the Lurmen want to remain neutral, we won't force them into war."

"See to it that they leave," Elder Kaa commanded his son. "I must see what our _new_ visitors want." He turned to Jack. "For your safety and ours, you should go with them."

The teen nodded. "For what it's worth, thank you."

As the elder limped away, Wag Too was kind enough to stock Ahsoka's pack with food supplies for the journey back. Captain Rex and Commander Bly helped Anakin to his feet. He wrapped his arms around them so they could hold him up. Wag Too led them to a hiding spot in the village, deciding to watch the scene unravel.

Outside the village, Tee Watt Kaa took notice to the tall, skinny robots that were armed with blasters. They stood at attention awaiting orders as an obese creature with a frog-like face walked down the ramp. Flanking him were two, gray, man-sized robots that were armed with wrist blasters.

All of these people had one thing in common: they were not to be trifled with.

"I am General Lok Durd of the Separatist Alliance," the creature introduced.

"I am Tee Watt Kaa," the leader replied, trying to stay polite, "leader of this colony. What do you-?"

"You are now under the protection of the Separatist Alliance," Lok Durd interrupted. "I... congratulate you on your good fortune."

Being rubbed the wrong way, Elder Kaa tried to send these intruders on their way. "Thank you, but we enjoyed good fortune well before your arrival."

Not paying attention, the Separatist led a squad of the tan robots towards the village with the elder in tow.

"We are a peaceful people, General," the Lurmen stated. "I do not condone your presence here."

"Then stand aside," he ordered. "I would like to inspect _my_ new colony." He turned to the droids. "Ransack this dung heap!"

The droids marched into the village, ignoring the screams of fear from the colonists. They fired warning shots to anyone who got too close as they proceeded to knock over baskets of food and tear down a few of their huts. No Lurmen dared to attack, giving the droids the opportunity to complete their "inspection."

Wag Too was beside himself. "Why are they tearing apart our homes? We've done nothing to them!"

"Because they can!" Jack snarled, remembering a certain arachnid back home who enjoyed collecting heads as her trophies just for the fun of it.

Ahsoka was equally pissed. "Those droids are only programmed to destroy everything in their path." She turned to Aayla. "Can't we do _anything_?"

Aayla shook her head. "No! If we are discovered, all of the Lurmen will be slaughtered."

"We'll be okay if we can make it to the tall grasses," Anakin assured.

Quickly, but calmly, the outsiders dashed into the grasses, hiding from the view of the Separatist army. They continued to travel inward until they were well enough away from the village. Once the "inspection" was complete, the squad formed back up as Lok Durd approached them.

"There is no evidence of any weapons or Republic contraband, General," the droid reported.

The Separatist grinned. "In the future, we may conduct more periodic searches like this one in order to maintain security."

"Because we are such an obvious threat to you," Elder Kaa retorted, sarcastic, "we will over no resistance."

"Your species is smarter than you appear," Lok Durd replied.

With a wave of his hand, he motioned the droids to leave the village and force the Lurmen to pick up the pieces.

"Father, are you okay?" Wag Too questioned once they were gone.

Elder Kaa nodded, but said nothing.

"At least the Jedi escaped," the healer noted.

"Yes, but they nearly brought harm to our entire village," he shot back.

Wag Too decided to speak his mind. "But now, thank to you, we're 'safe' to grovel before every petty tyrant who enters _our_ system!"

"You would mock our very way of life!?" Tee Watt Kaa exclaimed, facing his son. "I have just ensured we will have peace."

"Yes, but for the moment, and at what price!? Are you not concerned about the Jedi at all?"

The Lurmen stopped working and listened in on this heated argument.

"I have no quarrel with the Jedi," Elder Kaa retorted, "but we cannot help them without being drawn into _their_ war!"

Giving Wag Too no time to argue back, the elder limped towards his hut. The healer sighed in annoyance, knowing that his father was as stubborn as ever. However, there were other ways.

"Tub, track the Jedi," he said. "Follow them and make sure they get off world. And make sure Jack is safe as well."

Nodding, Tub ran into the tall grasses with a carrier butterfly in tow.

* * *

Once the group had reached a safe distance, they sat down to rest and compare notes.

"You know, I can't figure those villagers not wanting to fight," Bly wondered.

Rex scoffed. "No pride, I guess."

"I call it no courage," Ahsoka observed.  
_Enter the lecture._ Jack thought. _There's been a lot of those lately._

"Sometimes, it takes courage to stick to one's beliefs, young Padawan," Aayla lectured. "As any Jedi well knows."

"I've met pacifists in my day," Jack said, "but Tee Watt Kaa takes the prize."

"Regardless," Anakin interrupted, "we need to find a ship." A grin appeared on his face. "And I think the only one here belongs to the Separatists."

Suddenly, Jack had this strange feeling that they were being watched. Without looking too suspicious, he turned his head in every possible direction slowly in case his instincts were right.

Anakin droned on about his reckless plane. "We know they have a landing craft. They might have a shuttle."

"Sir, you talking about stealing from one of the clankers?" Rex asked. "Count me in!"

"We need to _find _them first," Aayla said.

Randomly, Jack lunged into the grasses behind Aayla, wrestling something down. Aayla sliced the grasses aside to see Jack pinning a black droid down with all his might.

"I found one!" he exclaimed with mock-happiness.

Aayla recognized the type of droid immediately. "Move! NOW!"

Jack relinquished his grip on the droid as Aayla sliced it in half.

"How did you know it was there?" Anakin asked, suspicious.

"I followed my instincts," he answered. "What was it?"

"A probe droid," Aayla answered, deactivating her saber. "If I didn't destroy it in time, it would have transmitted our location to the Separatists."

"Nice work, kid!" Rex complemented, slapping his shoulder.

"Where do you think it would have headed?" Ahsoka asked.

"Since it was facing us," Jack observed, "maybe, that way?" He pointed south.

"Time for another walk," Bly announced.

The group trudged onward with Anakin lagging behind. They tried to help him, but he was too stubborn to accept their help. Eventually, they came across the trees they encountered a few nights ago.

"Maybe we can see them from up there," Aayla suggested.

Jack was less than thrilled by this idea. "Uh, remember the death trap we avoided last time?"

"Have a little faith, young one," she replied. "We will be fine."

"How well can you climb, kid?" Bly asked.

"Never climbed a tree before," he admitted. Jasper, Nevada was hardly a place to grow trees.

Bly fired a grappling hook into the tallest branches before handing it to Jack. "Push this button here and hold on. When you reach the top, toss it back down. Oh, and try not to scream."

Jack nodded, pushing the button.

At a great speed, he zoomed to the top, desperately trying to hold back his screams. He let go after finding a nice spot to land. He was shaking and panted heavily out of fear before tossing the grappling gun back down. The clones went next with the grappling guns, but the Jedi easily jumped to the top.

"Showoffs," Jack muttered.

Ahsoka borrowed Rex's binoculars and took a look south. Judging by the frown on her face, it wasn't good.

From afar, Jack could see the outlines of a metal garrison that probably housed hundreds of droids.

"I hope you're feeling better, Master," Ahsoka hoped as Anakin reached the top, "because look what we found."

Anakin took the binoculars before replying, arrogantly, "I'm getting stronger all the time, Snips." He smile instantly vanished once he took in the sights. "But, I'm not sure I'm ready for that." He continued to looking until he found what they needed to find. "That shuttle's our ticket off this rock."

"It's not gonna be easy, sir," Bly warned. "There doesn't seem to be any flaws in their security line."

Anakin's frown deepened as spotted something else. "Apparently, the Separatists have a new toy. See if you can get a closer look."

"Yes, sir," Bly replied.

"I'll go with you, Commander," Rex offered.

"So, how do you plan to swipe the shuttle under their noses?" Jack asked extremely concerned.

"I'll think of something," Anakin answered.

Jack was growing concerned. "Tell me you're not planning to ad lib on this, right?"

"Improvisation is one of my master's strong points," Ahsoka pointed out.

_Wonderful._ Jack thought sarcastically.

Suddenly, a missile fired into the air and landed near where the clones were scouting. The impact caused a wave of fire to come swooping down the terrain, destroying everything in its path. Rex managed to grapple on to a branch, but Bly tripped over a log. Immediately, Aayla sliced a vine and swung down to retrieve the commander. Barely, she managed to save his life as they went back to the top of the tree.

Once again, Jack was flabbergasted. "That…was really cool."

She smiled back. "Someday, you may be able to do this, young one."

"That's some toy," Ahsoka observed, horrified. "It took out every living thing."

Jack put his back against the tree, thinking. _Okay, the Separatists have a weapon that's their version of a nuclear bomb. But why waste it on the ground when they can easily…scrap!_

"That was just a test run!" Jack exclaimed. "They're going after the Lurmen! Think about it! If anything you told me about the Separatists is true, then why would they waste valuable resources to come all the way here?"

"The Lurmen are an experiment to them," Anakin snarled.

"Those villagers won't stand a chance," Aayla realized.

"First, we'll take out the droid's communications station," he said, "then after we get a shuttle, we'll go back and help the Lurmen."

"Good luck convincing Elder Pacifist of this," Jack snorted.

"He's right," Ahsoka agreed. "Tee Watt Kaa said he didn't need our help."

"There's a difference between pulling innocents into war and leaving them to extinction," Anakin stated, leaving no room for argument.  
_Wow! _Jack thought. _On the one hand, he's an arrogant, stubborn mule. On the…other… shoot!_

Obviously hearing his thoughts, Anakin gave Jack a menacing glare before climbing down the tree.

"He just read my mind, didn't he?" the teen asked the Togruta.

"When this is over," Ahsoka said, "we need to help you shield your thoughts."

* * *

Tub stared open-mouthed at the horrific display from the Separatists. They had a weapon that could destroy every organism and were currently heading to their village. Since he was good at reading lips, he knew that the Jedi were coming back to help them, but first he had to warn his village.

"Tell Wag Too the Separatists are returning," he told the carrier butterfly.

Quickly, the bug flew off, hoping to get to the village before the Separatists did.

* * *

As night approached them, the group activated their plan to get into the garrison. Dodging the searchlights, Aayla and Ahsoka hurried to the wall, sticking to the shadows. Four battle droids blocked their route, but Anakin would remedy that. With the Force, he started moving a rock around in front of them.

"Hey, what was that!?" the battle droid exclaimed.

Like a complete idiot, it followed the moving rock straight into the bushes where it was decapitated by Anakin's lightsaber. While the three remaining droids investigating the commotion, the two females wall-jumped the garrison until they reached the top. Once the three droids were away from the searchlights, Anakin, Rex, and Bly destroyed them quickly. On top of the wall, Aayla cut down more battle droids that were on top of the wall while Ahsoka, after slicing two battle droids, opened the door.

"Come on, Jack!" Anakin urged quietly as Rex and Bly climbed in.

Narrowly dodging the searchlights, Jack followed them quickly. All four of them hid behind crates as a patrol passed by.

"Stay here," Anakin commanded as he went with Rex and Bly to take out the droids in the communications center.

If there was one thing in the world Jack hated the most, it was feeling helpless. Still, in retrospect, everyone else was better at the stealth thing than he was, making that reason number 38 as to why he was glad Miko was not here.

"Hey, why is this door open?"

_Crap!_

Two battle droids marched to the door without noticing Jack crouching behind the crates. He knew that if these droids were smart enough, they would figure out that they have been infiltrated. However, if he tried to attack them, he could end up alerting the base.

Fortunately, an idea came to him.

"Let's do a perimeter scan," the battle droid suggested. "We may not be alone."

"Roger, roger," the other one responded.

By impossible means, their short lifespan was ended by the door crushing them.

Jack grinned at his handiwork. He telekinetically pushed the button that activates the door.

"Impressive!" a voice said behind him.

Jack nearly screamed, but a hand clamped over his mouth.

"Take it easy," Anakin advised. "It's only me. The base has been cleared out."

He relinquished his grip on the boy, who was panting heavily.

"You almost gave me a heart attack," he gasped. "Did you find the shuttle?"

The Jedi nodded. "Let's get out of here."

The two of them dashed down the garrison until they reached a ship that was clearly in the shape of an "L." Jack noticed two hovering boxes getting onto the shuttle, sparking his curiosity.

"Shield generators," Anakin answered before he could ask. "It's our only chance against the Separatist's weapon."

Jack took a seat behind Aayla and Ahsoka, who were both, respectively, pilot and co-pilot on this voyage.

"What kept you?" Ahsoka asked as they took off towards the Lurmen village.

"I took out a couple of droids," he answered in a casual manner.

Her eyes widened. "How? You didn't even have a weapon."

"I activated the door via telekinesis when the morons were directly in range."

"You're getting stronger, I see," Aayla noticed, hiding her surprise.

* * *

Back at the village, Wag Too had received Tub's message and was currently trying to get his father to see reason.

"The Separatists are on the march," he warned. "They're returning to our village."

"They did not attack us before," Elder Kaa replied. "There's no reason to think they will this time."

Wag Too implored him to see reason. "Father, they would not be coming back here unless they intended to do us harm. This is war!"

"But not our war!" Elder Kaa corrected. "We've don nothing to provoke them, and we _will_ not. That is their way."

The healer could not believe what he was hearing. "So we will just lay down and be slaughtered!? Father, even if we don't fight the Separatists, we must defend ourselves!"

Once again, Tee Watt Kaa was set in his ways. "Mounting a defense is still engaging in battle. If we sacrifice our beliefs, we're no better than they are. Our philosophy has helped us to survive for generations, and we will change our morals, now or _ever!_"

"But-!"

"That is enough, Wag Too! We are done with this discussion!"

The healer desperately wanted to protest against this, but he knew it will only make things worse. At least the Jedi were coming back. No need to tell his father that they would be arriving soon.

* * *

Jack yawned as the sun started to rise. He hadn't gotten any sleep in the past 18 hours, but neither did the Jedi or the clones. However, it looked like they were accustomed to long nights, so they weren't nearly as exhausted as he was.

Aayla landed the shuttle directly in the middle of the village. It was one way to get the attention of the Lurmen. When they all exited the shuttle, almost all of the Lurmen were pleased that they returned, save for Tee Watt Kaa.

"Everyone, please!" Aayla called out. "Please, listen! The Separatists will be here in moments!"

"What are you doing here!?" the elder exclaimed, clearly outraged. "I thought I told you not to return!"

Anakin decided to be blunt. "The Separatists don't care that you've chosen to remain neutral. We need to get you to safety before they arrive!"

Unfortunately, the stubborn lemur was defiant as ever. "We will _not_ abandon our homes!"

Jack was starting to lose patience with this idiot.

"But they've got a new weapon," Ahsoka protested. "It will burn this place to crisp and kill each and every one of you. Is this what all of you really want!?"

"If it is our destiny to be destroyed in _your_ war-!" He emphasized "your." "-so be it!"

At long last, the respect the teen had left for the elder vanished.

Jack stalked up to the Lurmen before anyone could stop him and jerked him towards his people furiously. He figured he would be exiled out of the village for this, but so be it.

"Look!" he demanded. "Look at these people! Do you think they want to die!? Look at the children! Do they want to die!? I don't give a damn about your traditions and right now, neither do they! If you love these people, as you claim, prove it! We're not the ones that will be responsible for their deaths; _YOU_ will be!"

When the elder didn't say anything, Jack returned to the shuttle, still angry. Aayla followed him inside, surprised at his outburst.

"You shouldn't have attacked him like that!" she chided.

He sighed, knowing she was right. "I know. It's just that…I keep seeing those heartless machines killing everyone while Tee What-A-Doofus watches."

A smirk appeared on her face. "That's why we're going to defend them against his wishes. I saw that many of the Lurmen are frightened that the Separatists are coming to destroy them. One of our mandates is to protect the innocent, and so we shall despite Tee Watt Kaa."

"How can I help?" Jack questioned.

"Right now, we are gathering seedpods together to form a wall. We could use your help with that."

He smirked back. "Saving lives and ticking off an elder, huh? I guess I can fit that in my schedule."

* * *

Outside of the village, the droid army was approaching the village while Lok Durd bragged about his soon-to-be accomplishments.

"When Count Dooku sees how successful my weapon is against civilian targets," he said, "I will no doubt be promoted to a more...substantial position."

If the commander droid could have rolled its eyes, it would've as it gazed through the binoculars. "Okay...right. Well, the villagers appear to have put some pods together in a barrier around the village."

"Pods!?" Lok Durd laughed as he gazed through the binoculars. "How quaint." His smile instantly vanished when he spotted certain non-natives assisting with the building using telekinesis. "Jedi? What are they doing out here? Halt!"

The entire army stopped moving.

He could not risk getting close to those Jedi. He was going to led the defoliator do the work for him.

* * *

Within moments, Rex and Bly were pulling pods together with a rope while Anakin, Ahsoka, and Aayla used telekinesis to bring the others together. Once Anakin started getting fatigued, Jack decided to take his place. After getting a "size matters not" speech, he attempted to move a pod with great difficulty. He assumed that he needed more training before he can lift a pod alone. The shield generators were placed on each end of the village as a secret defense for the weapon.

Elder Kaa was rapidly losing patience. "Please, stop what you're doing! Stop building that wall! I did not ask you to defend us!"

"This battle is inevitable!" Anakin shot back. "You can stand by your beliefs, but let us stand by ours."

Realizing that he would not win this argument, the Lurmen went back to his hut not at all pleased. He fixed the Jedi a menacing glare before he vanished from sight.

Wag Too, however, had something to say. "Thank you for what you guys are trying to do! I'm sorry, but I cannot help. My father is very…strong-willed and set in tradition. Many others agree with me, but we were raised under a very strict code. We must respect it even if we don't agree."

"They're holding position!" Rex announced.

"They're not going to charge us!" Anakin replied. "Not if they can hit us from long range first, but if we can withstand that weapon, we'll draw them in."

"Wait! _If _we can withstand it!?" Jack exclaimed in horror.

"We'll be fine, Jack!" Aayla assured.

He chuckled nervously, but didn't say anything else.

At long last, the moment they were waiting for had arrived. A missile was launched into the air, heading towards the village.

"Incoming!" Rex yelled.

"Power the shields!" Anakin commanded.

A giant, blue dome appeared above the village and covered the whole place. Not a moment too soon, for the missile landed just outside the village, the fires from it spreading quickly. Jack and the Lurmen held their breath as it reached the village, but it couldn't make it through the shield. The fires dissipated within a few moments.

Anakin smiled at the shield's handiwork. "Now, they'll have to get their hands dirty and meet us face-to-face."

Rex handed Jack a blaster. "Stay behind us, aim, and fire! Got it?"

"Yes, sir!" he answered, ready for battle.

Jack and the clones climbed over the pod wall, witnessing a squad of battle droids and super battle droids coming at them.

"That's a lot of clankers," Ahsoka noticed, uneasy.

"We've got to stop them before they get through the shield," Anakin said.

The six individuals stepped out of the shield and readied their weapons.

Within a few seconds, chaos ensued.

The droids fired their blasters at the group, but the Jedi deflected them with their lightsabers before charging. Jack and the clones stayed in their position, trying to take down as many of the enemies as possible. Ahsoka leaped into the air and landed directly in the middle of the squad. Throwing them off, she quickly slashed aside quite a few droids. Since Anakin was still injured, all he could do was deflect the shots and destroy whatever droid that was in his way. Aayla, however, superseded all of them. She twirled her lightsaber, so it could cover her from all sides. Even when she took out the droids, her lightsaber was still moving. She kicked a battle droid down before rushing into the fray with the others. The numbers of droids dwindled down from 40, to 20, to 5, to 1. Anakin was about to cut the last one apart, but a blaster shot did the job for him. He looked to see Jack smirking at him. He returned the smirk with another glare.

"That was…intense," Jack admitted, panting heavily.

"Not bad, kid," Bly commended, "though, I don't recommend that you should piss off General Skywalker like that."

"That wasn't so hard," Ahsoka said.

"That was only the first wave," Anakin replied with a sense of foreboding.

Quickly, the battle started up again with the droids, who were twice in number than before, shooting at them. Naturally, the three Jedi cut down the middle, but the droids they didn't get headed towards the village. As the chances of death rose and the number of droids grew, the clones retreated into the shield. Jack took cover in the tall grass outside, barely dodging blaster fire as he ran.

After taking out a couple of droids, he saw Aayla and Ahsoka head back to the village while taking out the droids, but Anakin, to his horror, was charging straight towards the three tanks up ahead.

"That idiot!" he exclaimed, going after him and ignoring the protests of the others.

Whether the droids were inaccurate, or he was going faster than he thought, Jack managed to dodge the blaster shots that were being aimed at him. He returned fire without looking back, but out of the seven shots he fired, only one droid was destroyed.

"Is he crazy!?" Ahsoka yelled as she sliced a droid in half.

"We can't do anything about it," Aayla replied. "Let us hope that he returns unscathed."

The number of the droids overwhelmed them all as they retreated further into the village. Bly ordered the Lurmen to take cover as the droids made their approach. Quickly, the machines destroyed the shield generators, leaving the village defenseless against another aerial assault like the one before.

With a new sense of urgency, the two Jedi began to quickly destroy the droids that were targeting the Lurmen, who were trying to hide at the moment. If the weapon wasn't destroyed anytime soon, everyone would die.

At long last, Wag Too had enough of this. Along with Tub and a few other Lurmen, they gathered some rope and prepared to aid their friends.

"Wag Too, what are you doing?" Tee Watt Kaa demanded.

"We're going to help," he answered.

"I forbid this!" the Elder stated.

"What more would you have them do before we are allowed to defend ourselves!?"

"But-!"

For the first time ever, Wag Too cut his father off. "We _have_ to do this!"

The eight Lurmen charged at the droids, dodging the lasers as they went.

"The techniques we used on the phalones should work here," Wag Too instructed. "Don't stop moving!"

Wag Too began tying some rope around the droids without getting hit, but two other Lurmen were more aggressive. They tackled down the battle droids and began beating them until they couldn't get up again. Once enough droids had they legs tied up, the healer launched the rope into the air and Tub pinned it down to the ground with a sharp object. Unfortunately, a blaster shot caught him in the arm, but Ahsoka took out the droid before it could launch another shot. The remaining Lurmen pulled the rope as hard as possible until the tied up droids collapsed to the ground. Ahsoka ran alongside the fallen droids, beheading them with her lightsaber. She gave a nod of approval to Wag Too, who was getting Tub to safety.

At a horrible time, Anakin collapsed in range of the tanks that were currently, being aimed at him. One of his wounds reopened in his stomach, giving him pain.

"So long, Jedi," the commander droid in the tank stated about to vaporize him.

Miraculously, a blaster shot took the head off the droid.

Lok Durd cowered away from more blaster shots that were being aimed at him, but he did get a good look at the boy who interfered with his plans.

"Destroy him now!" he commanded.

Jack, leaving no time to admire his handiwork, dragged Anakin into the grass away from the fight, explosions roaring nearby.

"I have to get up there," the Jedi groaned.

"You're too easy a target," Jack protested as he ducked from blaster shots of the remaining infantry. "I'll take care of the weapon."

"You can't destroy it with a blaster," he replied.

Jack nodded in agreement. "You're right."

Without even waiting for permission, he snatched Anakin's lightsaber and returned to the battle.

Jack slashed two super battle droids down and barely deflected a blaster shot from a battle droid. He cut down his assailant before charging at the tank. In his other hand, Jack fired the blaster at the obese Separatist so he could think twice before even thinking about firing the tank. Once he reached the weapon, Jack started slashing it ferociously, destroying it in the process. The shell fell out of the tank, but it didn't explode, luckily.

He noticed the Separatist coward making a run for it out of the corner of his eyes, and ran after him.

"Nice day for a jog, isn't it?" Jack asked when he caught up.

Fatso glowered at him, but continued running.

To add to the humiliation, the teenager started circling around him while talking like a coach.

"That's it. Keep your heartbeat up, and the fat stuff down."

Completely out of breath, Lok Durd stopped in his tracks, practically collapsing.

"Look at the bright side, Tubby" Jack said, putting his arm around the failed leader. "You've got 25 years to life to rest."

* * *

Despite some injuries inflicted from the droids, no one was killed in the battle. The Lurmen were extremely excited that they had a chance to fight back. However, the fact that Jack, with no prior training, destroyed the weapon and captured the Separatist was the main story being told.

"That was extremely reckless of you," Anakin lectured as he snatched his lightsaber back.

"Says the man who charged towards them with grievous injuries," Jack snorted.

Surprisingly, a grin appeared on Anakin's face. "Good job. You're all right, kid."

"Hey, about that arrogant mule comment earlier," Jack mentioned. "I still think you are one sometimes, but your courage makes up for it, I guess."

Anakin chuckled. "Is that the closest to an apology I'll be getting?"

"Yup, but you're growing on me a little."

Rex and Bly handcuffed the Separatist and the engineer who fired the missiles before loading them into the shuttle. The clones contacted the Republic, giving them their location and a brief report on what occurred beforehand.

"Thank you, Wag Too," Anakin said.

"I should thank you," the Lurmen replied. "Our village would have certainly been destroyed without your protection." He saw his father approaching. "Father, I was just offering the Jedi our thanks."

Reluctantly, Tee Watt Kaa responded with, "Perhaps we do owe you thanks, but I still wonder: at what cost?"

Always glass half-empty, aren't you? "No one died today," Jack reminded him. "That, in itself, is a victory." I'm starting to sound like Optimus.

"Jack," Elder Kaa continued, "if you ever need a place to stay, you are always welcome in our village."

The teen smiled at him. "Thank you, Elder Kaa. I hope we meet under happier circumstances."

"Do come back, though," Wag Too advised. "It would be a nice change of pace for all of us."

Up above, the gigantic starships entered the atmosphere, ready to rescue their people. Jack smiled, knowing he was one step closer to getting home. Then, Jack did a double take, realizing what he was witnessing.

"Are those your ships!?" he exclaimed.

Anakin nodded. "The one in the middle is the _Resolute_, my ship. Care for a tour when we get up there, kid?"

"Do you even have to ask?" he replied with a grin.

* * *

Inside the shuttle, Aayla was making her report to the Jedi Council.

"Commended, you all are," Yoda stated. "Protecting the innocents, your priority was."

"Thank you, Master Yoda," she replied, deciding to speak up about it. "I've encountered a Force-sensitive on this planet."

Mace Windu raised his eyebrows. "How powerful?"

"More powerful than he realizes," Aayla answered. "I do not think that he is as powerful as Skywalker, but I sense that the Force is extremely strong in him."

"Bring him before us, you must," Yoda ordered. "Decide whether he will be a Jedi, we will."

Aayla paused for a moment before making the play. "I believe that it was the will of the Force that we found him. He arrived on the planet under mysterious circumstances."

"Mysterious how?" Plo Koon wondered.

"I...do not know," she admitted. "When we found his blood trail, it seemed that he appeared out of nowhere, but he has not told us how he came to this planet. My guess is that he was transported from another world."

The Council members pondered this. The Force had been known to do mysterious things (Anakin, being the greatest example), but it brought this boy here under strange circumstances. This was worth looking into. This boy could possibly be the reason behind the disturbance.

Aayla wasn't finished. "Should he not be able to find his way home and the Council deems it worthy-!"

"You want to train this boy," Windu finished, crossing his arms. "Let us see him first. Then, we will make a decision."

"Yes, Masters!" she replied.

Yoda, however, noticed something. "Becoming attached to the boy, you are. Carefully you must proceed, Master Secura."

"Yes, Master Yoda."

The transmission ended.

**Well, that was fun.**

**I hope Anakin wasn't OOC in this. **

**Review, vote, etc.**

**Next chapter: Jack goes to Coruscant and meets the Council and the writer decides not to screw it up this time around. Oh boy. **


	5. Chapter 4: Scars of the Mind

Chapter 4: Scars of the Mind

(The _Resolute_; en route to Coruscant)

The flight to Coruscant was a relatively boring one, but given what happened recently, Jack could handle boring for a while. In fact, he needed to rest for tomorrow. The Jedi Council wanted to speak to him, but he wanted to know if there was a way home for him. He gave Aayla many planet names, the name of his galaxy, and even a few moons just in case. The Twi'lek contacted an archivist on Coruscant so that the person could start looking up these names.

Being inside a spaceship was so surreal for Jack. While Maridun was primitive, the ship was far from it. Thousands of people conducting specific tasks, clones walking around, computers way out of his league, and the fact that he didn't need a astronaut suit to be on board the _Resolute_. This was a technological dream for the majority of the human race back on Earth. Boy, would they be jealous.

What caught him off-guard was that his heroic/suicidal deeds spread throughout the Star Destroyer. Most of the people were talking about it and even gave Jack grins of approval when he passed by. The luxury he was thankful for was that these people were very restrained and did not overwhelm him with questions, unlike the reporters back home, who seemed to live to get their noses into every possible moment of a celebrity's life. Then again, these were clones bred for fighting, not for getting into people's faces.

After much consideration, Jack decided to hear the Council out when he arrived on Coruscant and if he couldn't find a way home, he would strive to become a Jedi. After all, he had nothing else better to do.

His dreamless sleep was interrupted by the sound of a door knocking.

"Who is it?" he asked, trying not to sound rude.

"It's me," Ahsoka answered.

Jack decided to have a little bit of fun. "Me, who?"

"Ahsoka Tano," she replied, exasperated.

"Well, if you were Ahsoka Tano, you would know that nobody gets in without the password."

"What password!?" she exclaimed.

"See, if you knew the password, you would be Ahsoka Tano, but since you don't, you couldn't possibly be her."

"I've got Masters Skywalker and Secura out here!"

Jack paused for dramatic effect. "Do they know the password?"

"Just open up!" she yelled clearly out of patience.

Jack opened the door with a huge grin, but on the other side, Ahsoka's entire stance screamed, "I'm gonna kill you _very_ slowly."

"I don't see either of the Jedi Masters," Jack observed.

"Never mind," she replied quickly to get him to shut up. "I wanted to tell you that we'll be arriving in ten minutes."

"No rest for the weary, eh? Thanks."

She was about to return, but Jack stopped her.

"Wait!" he called out. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Ahsoka answered. "What is it?"

Jack hesitated for a brief moment before asking, "What's it like to be a Jedi?"

The Togruta crossed her arms, thinking for a second. "Well, it's pretty cool. We get to go on missions, help people, and do our best to keep the Republic safe."

"Like fighting a war?" Jack questioned. "Kind of ironic that peacekeepers are fighting in this war and are leading armies."

Ahsoka knew that he wasn't trying to be cynical, but she couldn't help but get a little defensive. "We didn't cause the war, Jack! We were drawn into it thanks to the Separatists. We just want to end it."

Jack decided to amend the situation quickly. "Sorry. I forgot that this is a sore subject for you guys."

Ahsoka replied with her own apology, bowing her head slightly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't keep snapping at you like that."

"Ahsoka, why do you keep apologizing for stuff like this?" Jack asked, clearly confused and wanting to get to the bottom of this.

"What do you mean?"

"Twice, now, you have snapped at me, but then you act like you've done an unforgivable sin when you apologize. Why?"

'"There is no emotion; there is peace,"' Ahsoka quoted. "As Jedi, we have to release our emotions to the Force, specifically, the ones that lead to the Dark Side. Fear, anger, and hate are just name a few of them."

Jack cocked an eyebrow. "I get hatred, but fear and anger? Those feelings are normal for people. I get that making decisions with those emotions could affect an outcome, but you can't just bottle the emotions inside. Calm breathing can only hold them back for so long."

"You wouldn't understand," the Togruta responded.

Jack decided to change the subject as he leaned against the wall. "It must be hard, though, with the war and all, to have a bit a freedom. Don't you want to do something fun once in a while?"

She smiled sadly. "If only. We had to give up a lot to become Jedi. Most of us were raised by the Jedi at a very young age."

"And your parents were okay with this?"

She shrugged. "I can't really remember that far back. All I remember is my life as a Jedi. Anyway, it doesn't really matter. Like I said, Jedi aren't allowed to form attachments or fall in love. It's forbidden!"

"What!?" Jack exclaimed. "What idiot came up with that!?"

"Keep your voice down!" Ahsoka urged. "All I know it that attachment can lead to the Dark Side, which is why it's forbidden."

"What about love?" he protested. "Can't anyone fall in love or even marry?"

"The only exception was Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, but that was only because his people would've become extinct, or something like that."

"Maybe I should have a chat with the Council about this," he planned.

"Try and stay respectful, please," Ahsoka said. "The last thing you need is to get on their bad side. Trust me when I say you don't."

"Fine," Jack conceded. "Being a Jedi takes commitment. I respect that. I didn't expect it to make me give up being a human."

_"Attention everyone!"_ Admiral Yularen announced over the intercom. "_We have arrived at Coruscant sooner than we expected. Will Commander Tano and Jackson Darby please report to the bridge?"_

"That's our cue," Jack stated, heading towards the bridge.

Ahsoka followed him. "Let me give you a few pointers when you approach the Council: be respectful, don't interrupt, try not to fidget, look at them when they are talking to you, speak when spoken too, don't let your emotions do the talking, and, please, don't call Master Yoda a troll or a green midget."

Jack nodded, but he was confused by the last bit. "I'll keep all that in mind. Why are you doing this? Helping me, I mean."

"Because…I figured that you could use as much help as you can if you want to be a Jedi," she answered.

Jack raised his eyebrows at the hesitancy, but didn't press the matter. Instead, he left himself to his thoughts after making sure Ahsoka couldn't hear him.  
_Testing one, two, three. Can you hear me, Ahsoka? No? Good! Where was I? Oh, yes! She's hiding something. I know it. Everybody has been asking me if I want to be a Jedi when I have a chance to get home. Why is that? Do they think I _can't_ get home. And why _is_ she helping me? Could it be that she likes me? Nah, couldn't be. Like she droned, "Jedi can't love." I think she's kind of cute though. Snap out of it, Darby. Even if love was allowed (I can't believe I thought that), I doubt she would want to go out with someone like me. I'm not exactly a real "smooth operator" anyway._

When they reached the bridge, Anakin and Aayla were waiting for them.

"Are you ready, Jack?" Aayla asked.

"Wait, aren't we landing?" he questioned.

"The entire planet is a city," Anakin explained. "There's not exactly room for a cruiser like this one. You're taking the shuttle down."

"What about you two?"

"I have an assignment with Obi-Wan I have to get to," he answered. "Snips needs to report to the Jedi Temple, so she'll hitch a ride with you and Master Secura."

Jack nodded. "Okay." He turned to Aayla. "I'm ready."

"Come with me, you two," she said, heading towards the hanger.

Jack shook Anakin's hand. "It was nice meeting you, Anakin."

"You, too," he responded.

The three of them entered the shuttle while Anakin departed to meet up with his former master. He had one heck of a story for the Jedi Master.

* * *

(Underground Decepticon Space Bridge)

After the incident with the Autobots, Megatron ordered the Space Bridge to be placed under much heavier guard to prevent any Autobot from using it again. The damage inflicted on the Bridge had long since been fixed, so the Decepticons could move out to different planets should they ever need to. Twenty-five Vehicons stood in the way between the entrance and the Bridge, but those numbers meant nothing to Arcee.

Quietly, she crept up towards the two guards standing in front of the cave entrance and impaled them with her wrist blades. Once they were dead, she dragged them away in order to remain hidden from the Cons. A third Vehicon went to investigate the disappearance of its comrades only to find itself without a head. With the three guards neutralized, Arcee walked silently into the cave prepared for anything.

The mission Arcee was currently doing would be considered suicidal amongst her fellow Autobots; that is, if she told them. She went off on her own, left behind two messages, one for the Autobots and one for June, and would not stop now. She was going after Jack herself! There was nothing the Autobots or Decepticons could do to stop her.

The Space Bridge was still operational, at least Starscream, under _very_ extreme duress (she had severed his arms in order to get him to talk) had told her. If that was true, Arcee could activate the coordinates that Jack went to and would rescue him should he be in danger. How she would get back home was another matter but right now, all that mattered was getting to the Space Bridge.

Thirty minutes and twenty-two dead Vehicons later, Arcee had finally arrived at her destination.

She went to the console and began researching the recent coordinates, skipping the ones that match Cybertron. Arcee knew that Megatron would know that something was up once he realized that his Vehicons weren't reporting in, so she had to move fast. She closed her eyes, trying to remember the coordinates that were in place when Jack went through the Bridge. She remembered that the numbers were changing rapidly as it began to malfunction, but if she could figure out the ones that led her partner away, it would make things easier. As she scrolled down the list, she found familiar numbers and, out of desperation, activated them.

The portal surged once again, ready for transportation. A part of Arcee knew that this was the stupidest thing she had ever done. The coordinates could lead to an asteroid, or in the middle of space. Worse, she could end up in a sun and melted down to ash, but Jack was worth every risk. She cared about him and she would not led him down.

Taking a deep breath, she walked into the portal, ready to meet whatever dangers laid ahead of her.

* * *

"Jack, you're going to get glued to the window," Ahsoka warned.

The teenager didn't respond, completely dumbfounded at the sights outside.

Anakin wasn't kidding; Coruscant was New York on extreme steroids. Wherever he looked, skyscrapers filled his vision. He could only imagine how long it would take for someone to fall. Traffic outside were flying hovercrafts, or speeders as they call them. Jack wondered what an accident would be like.

Speaking of accidents, worry filled his mind. If 9/11 proved anything back on Earth, skyscrapers were an easy target if someone wanted to crash something huge into the buildings. The people inside and on the ground wouldn't stand a chance.

Then again, this was practically the future. He was positive that maybe they have something to prevent that from happening.

After dropping the Separatists off at the prison, they flew to the Jedi Temple, which made all the cathedrals look insignificant. It was so huge, it was practically a city within itself.

"Amazing!" he breathed.

Aayla chuckled. "That's what many say when they first visit Coruscant."

As they landed, Jack saw three, strange creatures awaiting them.

One was a black-skinned, bald Human in traditional Jedi robes. His face looked like that he had never smiled in his entire life. His facial expression consisted of seriousness and suspicion. Jack would have to make sure not to get on this guy's bad side.

The second was human-sized, but it seemed like he had the head of a mutant bug. He didn't seem like he could make a single expression even if he wanted to.

The third, however, was the strangest out of the trio. Green, small, old, wrinkled, and just plain weird described him. Jack guessed correctly that this was Yoda, the green midget Ahsoka had mentioned. He made sure to clear his mind before he, Ahsoka, and Aayla approached them.

"Master Windu, Master Plo, Master Yoda," the Twi'lek said, bowing.

Ahsoka and Jack bowed politely as well.

"It is good that you have returned safely, Master Secura," Plo, the bug-man, replied before shifting his gaze towards Ahsoka. "*Koh-to-yar, Ahsoka."

"*Koh-to-yar, Master," the Togruta responded with a smile.

Master Windu, bald guy, looked at Jack, who was intimidated by him. "You must be the one Master Secura had mentioned in her report."

"My name is Jack Darby, sir," the teenager said.

"Hmm," Yoda pondered, staring at him intently. "Strong with you, the Force is. Very strong. If not trained, uncontrollable, you would be."

_Comforting._ "With all due respect, Master Yoda, I have not given much consideration into becoming a Jedi. I just wanted to know if my planet was close enough for me to return to."

Plo decided to speak, deciding that he would be the best one to deliver the news. "I am sorry, young one, but our archivist could not find any records of the planets that you speak. I fear that we have not recorded your galaxy in our archives."

Jack staggered back, horrified. He was prepared for the worst, but obviously not prepared enough. Not only was he a complete stranger to this galaxy, but now his ties to his home planet have been officially cut off. His mother and his friends would never know that he was alive and safe. He could never return now.

Aayla and Ahsoka's moods dropped, saddened by Jack's inner agony. The teen wasn't crying, but the expression he bore was far worse: utter devastation!

Denial burst forth from his mouth. "No, no, no, no. This cannot be happening. This has to be some sick joke."

"We are _not_ joking, Jackson," Windu retorted in a no-nonsense voice.

Ahsoka resisted the urge to glare at the Jedi Master. How could he be so blasted insensitive?

Jack sank to his knees, tears streaming down his face, and whispered, "Why? Why must this happen?" He did not care that there were four Jedi Masters and a Padawan observing him. He had to let something out.

Aayla knelt down next to him and answered, "I do not know the answer to your questions, Jack. I am truly sorry that you do not have a way home. Perhaps, one day, the time will come when you can return."

"How can you be so certain?" he asked.

"I'm not," she admitted, "but there is still hope for you. Given time, you will find a way home."

"Perhaps we should wait until later to speak with you, Jackson," Plo suggested. "You should be given some time to adapt to your current situation."

"I agree," Yoda replied. "Upsetting news, this is for you. When ready to talk you are, waiting we will be."

The three Jedi Masters departed as Aayla and Ahsoka led Jack to a bench that was outside the temple.

"I'm sorry, young one," Aayla said sadly.

"How could they not find it?" Jack asked, brushing away his tears. "How can they not find my world?"

"The universe is a big place," Ahsoka stated. "We haven't been able to explore every inch of it."

"Do I have to become a Jedi?" the teen wondered.

"That is entirely up to you, Jack," Aayla answered.

"Would you be willing to...train me?"

Aayla was touched that he requested to be trained by her. She must have made an impact in his life.

"I will," she promised.

That brightened up Jack's mood somewhat, but a thought occurred to him. "Yoda said that my powers could be uncontrollable. Does that mean if I don't get trained I could be a danger?"

"It is possible," the Twi'lek admitted.

"Then I might as well nip it in the bud right now!"

With a determined look, Jack stood up and headed towards the Jedi Temple.

"Jack, wait up!" Ahsoka exclaimed as she and Aayla rushed over to him. "That was quick."

"Sitting around moping won't help me," the teen stated. "If I can be a threat to you guys, I might as well prevent it from happening."

Aayla smiled at his determination. "Try not to scare the Younglings, Jack. You look like you are about to rip the Temple down."

Jack softened his expression. "Sorry about that."

_This will be an interesting experience._ Ahsoka thought.

* * *

If Jack thought he had seen everything, that mindset was instantly thrown out the window when he stood in the middle of the Council chambers. Creatures of various shapes and sizes surrounded him. Some, like the green-skinned, tentacle-haired Master gave him a warm smile, but others, like Stone-Face Windu, kept his expression intimidating.

"How feel you?" Yoda questioned.

"Nervous, but determined, sir," he answered.

Nodding, Windu took out a hand-held screen, the screen itself facing away from Jack. "I want you to close your eyes and tell me the images you see. Reach out into the Force and you will see these images."

Feeling slightly ridiculous, Jack closed his eyes and tried to focus. At first, nothing happened, but then a picture appeared in his mind as clear as day. As he named them off, the images changed.

"A motorcycle, a house, a lightsaber, one of those tan robot things I saw on that planet. What are they called again?"

"Droids," the green-skinned guy answered with a grin.

"Right, droids. Uh, a restaurant, a planet, what is that? A box with legs? A chair with legs!?" _What kind of lazy person makes a chair with legs?_ "The _Resolute,_ a rabbit, and, uh...I think it's a giant, ugly bug and I don't mean Master Plo."

"That will do," Windu stated after the Council members chuckled at that statement, one of which was Master Plo.

"I didn't mean to insult you, Master Plo," Jack said sheepishly.

"I do not take offense, Jackson," he assured.

"Would you kindly tell us how you arrived here in this galaxy?" a woman, a Togruta, to be specific, asked.

"All right, but first, in order for it to make sense, I need to explain some history about another species. It's a long story."

Jack explained Cybertron's past, how Megatron declared war, how that war wiped out the planet pretty much, how the Autobots came to Earth in secret, and how the Decepticons followed them.

"Since my planet is primitive compared to yours, we did not believe in extraterrestrials. So, the war occurred in secret. I was one of the few caught in the crossfire. Since the Decepticons viewed me as a threat, the Autobots protected me. Eventually, I was trusted enough to go to the planet Cybertron and retrieve a valuable object for the Autobots. Unfortunately, the portal that transported me to Cybertron started to malfunction just as Megatron blasted me into the portal. I ended up on the Lurmen's planet badly injured, but they healed me. And then, you know the rest if the Jedi gave their report."

The Council mulled this information over. By their standards, the story seemed to be...strange, to put it politely, but no one could come up with a story that creative off hand.

"We would like you permission to read your mind, Jackson," Plo requested.

"Um, okay," the teen replied hesitantly. "I guess my story is that ridiculous."

Upon his permission, the Council closed their eyes, reaching out with the Force. Jack felt their presence inside his mind and fought the instincts telling him to resist. It was like pressure, but not enough to make him feel really uncomfortable.

"I would advise skipping the memories about the girl with the weird hair," he advised.

"What's wrong with her?" the green-skinned guy questioned.

"Think Anakin in the body of a teenage girl, hopped up on caffeine, with ADHD," he answered.

"I do not believe that is a good combination," the Togruta stated while some the Council groaned.

Wisely, the Council avoided those memories, but the levity ended horribly.

Jack felt a fang jam directly into his mind, causing him to cry out in pain. To the Council's astonishment, he let out a Force Repulse that toppled the entire group. The windows shattered, many chairs were flipped over, and the Jedi Masters, the most powerful of the order, were on the floor or up against the wall.

In the middle was a crater with Jack lying motionless on the ground. He was curled up in a fetal position with his hands on his head, but he was unconscious.

Instantly, Ahsoka and Aayla, who were waiting outside, rushed into the Council chambers, lightsabers brandished.

"Is everyone okay?" Ahsoka asked, looking for the source.

"We're alive," Windu answered, getting to his feet.

Aayla, seeing Jack's body, deactivated her saber and checked on him.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Unexpected results, the probing revealed," Yoda replied brushing off the dust. "Memories of his past, impossible to read. Powerful, he is. Very powerful."

Ahsoka dropped her jaw as she really examined the damage. "_He_ did this? That guy?"

"Don't worry, Ahsoka," the Togruta Master said with a smile. "I have a hard time believing it myself."

"Master Secura, see Healer Barriss, he needs to," Yoda advised. "Quickly."

"Yes, Master," Aayla said, taking Jack into her arms.

She rushed Jack out of the room, hoping to make it to Barriss as soon as she could.

Yoda did not reveal the last image the Council saw: it was a younger Jack cradling a skeleton while he was crying. _Very disturbing, it was..._

Once the two had left, the Council immediately discussed what had happened.

* * *

In all the years Barriss Offee had been a healer, she never experienced a Force-Sensitive with such power. She felt his power surging in and out of him like an uncontrolled heartbeat, and that concerned her. Usually, the Force felt calm and tranquil, but this guys had the complete opposite. To her surprise, Aayla stood next to him, making sure that he was all right and not leaving his side. It seemed the Twi'lek Master had a soft spot for him.

"What do you think, Barriss,?" she asked.

"It's interesting," the healer responded. "The Force is fluctuating through him uncontrollably. I have never felt anything like it. I just took his midi-chlorian count and...it's almost as high as Master Skywalker's, but higher than Master Yoda's."

That statement caught her off-guard. She had no idea that he was _that_ powerful. And to think, if he was attacked in his mind again...

"His brain seems to have been damaged," she continued. "Not from the blast, mind you, but from something else. I fear that he's been flashburned."

"Flashburned?" Aayla questioned.

"It's rare, but it's when a traumatic event is so powerful that the Force wipes away the memories of a victim, leaving behind intense scarring or burns."

Aayla remembered when Jack mentioned his _"Sorry excuse for a father,"_ and began to realize that he must have been abused in the past.

"Is it true that he destroyed the Council Chambers?" Barriss wondered.

"Yes, Barriss," Aayla answered. "It will need extensive repairs. How long until he wakes up?"

At that moment, Jack shot up into a sitting position, gasping.

"Does that answer your question, Master?" she asked.

"Where am I?" Jack asked, holding his head. "I feel like I banged my head against the wall over and over."

"You are in the Halls of Healing," Barriss answered. "My name is Barriss Offee."

"How long have I been out?"

"For a couple of hours," Aayla responded.

"Did I...hurt anyone?"

"No," Aayla assured, "but you did make a mess of the Council Chambers. Some of the Council members have decided to talk to you in person if you are up for it."

Lying back down, the teen said, "All right."

Aayla stepped outside for a few minutes and returned with Yoda, Plo, Windu, and the friendly green-skinned guy.

"Sorry about earlier, Masters," he said, wincing as the throbbing in his head continued.

"Had no idea, we all did," Yoda assured. "Move to another chamber, we must for the time being." He chuckled slightly at that last statement.

"Given the circumstances, the Council has agreed to let you be trained starting immediately," Windu stated, getting to the point.

Jack grinned, but then his head began to feel pain for becoming happy.

"I won't let you down, Masters," he assured, massaging his head.

"Upon request, you have been assigned as Aayla Secura's Padawan," green-skinned guy added.

"Thank you, Master Fisto," Aayla replied.

"The essence, timing is," Yoda warned. "May the Force be with you. Heal soon, we all hope."

"And with you," the Twi'lek responded.

The Council members left, and not a moment too soon, for Jack had passed out again. What a day!

(Unknown planet)

Arcee was prepared for horrible creatures that would probably attack her. She was prepared to have to explore an entire planet to find Jack. She was also prepared if the coordinates did lead to her death. What she wasn't prepared for was a group of aliens aiming guns at her.

Many of the people she saw were armored soldiers by the looks of them and the others were various skinned creatures she had never seen before. They looked human, but many of them were orange and blue. What gave away the fact that they weren't human were that these creatures seemed to have two tails on the back of their heads instead of hair. What kind of place did she wind up in?

There was one person that stood out completely. It wasn't human, but it was as close as it was going to get. Its face looked misshaped and had horns protruding from various parts of his head, but that wasn't what caught her eye. He seemed to be wielding a sword of light in a defensive position. In all the years she had been active, Arcee had never seen a weapon as that before.

Arcee knew that these people would be no match for her, but they could be innocent and she was not about to kill them in any case. Right now all she wanted was some answers from the dumbstruck crowd.

She decided to diffuse a bit of the tension by asking, "Where am I?"

**CLIFFHANGER!**

**I like this version A LOT better than my first version even though this chapter is not my favorite. Enjoy!**

**I decided to bring Arcee to the Star Wars universe early because...I wanted to try something different. I let you guys guess which planet she ended up on.**

**Thumbs up if you can catch the very elusive BioShock reference.**

**Review, vote, etc.**

**Next chapter: Jack trains and Arcee gets answers...most of them.**


	6. Chapter 5: Right Galaxy, Wrong Planet

**Chapter 6: Right Galaxy, Wrong Planet**

(Unknown Planet)

"Don't move, Clanker!" one of the armored soldiers warned. "We have you surrounded."

Arcee narrowed her eyes. The word "clanker" was considered to be one of the highest insults on Cybertron. Were it not for her self-control, she would have wasted this entire army of...whatever they were. She scanned the perimeter and found no traces of Jack, but found some disturbing sights. Many of the head-tail creatures were wounded or dead as well as the armored soldiers. The place looked like a hideout and judging from the explosions in the distance, they were currently fighting a battle.

_Wonderful._ Arcee thought grimly. _Another battle I may end up in if I get out of this._

To her astonishment, the horned-face creature turned off his light sword and commanded in a gruff voice, "Lower your weapons! She is not a threat to us."

Arcee cocked her head to the side. This guy could tell she wasn't a threat after 30 seconds?

"What!?" the armored leader exclaimed. "It just came out of nowhere, General!"

"How can you be so certain?" an orange-skinned creature added, not taking his eyes off of her.

"_It_ is a _she_, Captain," the general replied. "I sense caution and confusion from her. They are not traits you would find in one that means to do us harm."

"A clanker with feelings?" another armored guy chuckled. "I find that hard to believe."

"Let me make something clear," Arcee warned, glaring at them. "Don't. Call. Me. A. Clanker. Got it?"

Instantly, the weapons were brought back up to her face.

"Stand down!" the general ordered.

Reluctantly, the forces did as they were told. Even the other creatures followed their lead.

"My apologies," the general apologized. "We have never met someone like you."

Arcee's expression went from anger to slight annoyance. "Not many have. Who are you and where am I?"

"Ah, yes, where are my manners?"

She noticed the orange-skinned male roll his eyes in annoyance.

"My name is Jedi Master Ima-Gun Di," the general introduced himself. "This is Cham Syndulla-" He indicated the orange-skinned male. "-and this is Captain Keeli!" He indicated the armored commander who took his helmet to reveal a bald-headed, bearded soldier.

Arcee did not expect this. Humans on other planets? They have never encountered such a thing and the people of Earth have never made a statement about colonizing on other planets. However, this was one of things that would not be a priority for a while.

Di answered her other question. "And as to where you are, you are on the planet Ryloth, home of the Twi'leks."

"Twi'leks?" she asked.

"We are Twi'leks," Cham answered before turning to the Jedi Master. "Your Force has a very unusual way to send reinforcements."

Arcee was starting to like the situation less. "Whoa! Slow down. I'm only here because I'm looking for someone. A young, Human male named Jack Darby. Is he here?"

"Other than the clones, there are no humans here," the Twi'lek leader responded, frowning. "What is so special about this human?"

"He's my partner and a friend!" she replied, getting aggravated.

"Calm down if you would, please," Di advised. "We are not here to force you into anything, but we do need assistance."

_Here we go._ "Assistance? With what?"

"We are currently trying to hold back the droid forces," the Jedi explained. "As we speak we are marching towards a position. They will kill everyone they see; man, woman, and child. We need to hold out for a long as we can until the Twi'leks have escaped."

Arcee crossed her arms. "So, let me get this straight: you're willing to trust a complete stranger, a twenty-foot tall robot by the way, to help you people? How do you know that I'm not a spy or an enemy just waiting to pounce the first chance I get?"

"If you meant to do us harm, you would have done so without preamble or remorse," Di answered.

"True," she admitted. "While I haven't made my decision, do you have a plan to save these people?"

Di smiled. "As a matter fact, I do. Captain, is the gunship ready?"

"Yes, sir," Keeli responded, "but it's too small to evacuate the refugees."

Cham grew more concerned by this scenario. "No escape? But our families are with us!"

Arcee was starting to feel more sympathetic to their cause, seeing as how they were legitimately concerned about their families.

The Jedi Master introduced his plan. "If we reconfigure the fuel system, we can turn the ship into a bomb big enough to collapse the pass here."

The Autobot femme examined the map he drew. They were three paths leading directly into the middle. He put "X" marks on the left path, signifying the avalanche. He began to draw arrows leading from the path to the north heading towards their location.

"The enemy will only be able to engage us on one front from this ravine. While we provide cover, the Twi'leks will have time to escape with their families over the mountain."

Keeli smiled in approval. "Brilliant strategy, General. I'll go tell the men."

Cham left the group in order to prepare the families to move out.

Arcee nodded in agreement as the captain began instructing the clones. "I think you have a good plan. Perhaps I _can_ help you." _Jack may not be here, but I'm not about to turn a blind eye to these Twi'leks just because it's out of my way._

"If you were to help, evacuation is the priority," Di noted. "Some of the Twi'leks are injured and cannot make it over the mountain on their own. If you could carry a few to the top, we would be most grateful."

Arcee smirked. "I think I can handle that. I've had to do something like that a few times."

"General," Keeli interrupted, "we're loading the rest of the explosives onto the gunship."

"Very good, Captain," the Jedi complemented. "Ready the men."

"All units, prepare for attack!" the clone captain warned.

Di turned to a blue-skinned Twi'lek. "We won't be able to hold off the droids for long. "You'll have to move quickly to get your families out of danger."

"What's wrong with Cham?" Arcee asked, noticing the scowl on his face.

"He is still angry," the Twi'lek informed. "He feels betrayed."

Noticing her confused expression, Di explained it further. "We counted on Republic assistance, and it didn't come. War turns promises into hopes. I wish it wasn't so. However, with your arrival, they have a better chance to survive. I believe it is the will of the Force that you have come here today. You bring them hope."

Arcee smiled a bit. Giving someone hope was something that hadn't happened since the Cybertronian War began. To know that they saw a light at the end of this tunnel made her feel truly touched and she just got here.

"Once I help them over the mountain, I'll help you with your robot problem," she promised.

To her surprise, Di shook his head. "No. You _must_ keep these people safe. When our defense fails, you will be the only one standing between the droids and the Twi'leks. I am ready to give my life to stall for as much time as possible."

Arcee wanted to protest, but who was she to prevent someone from going in completely for a cause? She would have done the same thing in his place were the circumstances different. Besides, she knew that this guy could not carry Twi'leks up the mountain, but she could.

"I don't like this situation, but I understand," she said, conceding.

Master Di nodded, but then realized something. "All this time, I haven't even asked your name. What is your name?"

She smirked. "It's Arcee, General."

"Well, Arcee, good luck and may the Force be with you."

Not knowing what the Force is, she nodded back before transforming into a motorcycle. Twi'leks and clones alike recoiled in astonishment, but Di just smiled, masking his own surprise. Sadly, some of the clone were terrible at hiding it.

"What the hell!?" Keeli swore. "How did she...?"

"It just is," Arcee answered. "I don't have time to explain it. I believe time is of the essence. General, Captain, good luck."

Without waiting any longer, she sped towards the Twi'leks to make sure that they got to safety all the while hoping she would find Jack somewhere.

_Hang in there, Jack. I will find you...somehow._

* * *

"WHAT!?" Ahsoka shrieked.

Jack shushed her. "Way too loud, Ahsoka!"

"You blew up the Council Chambers, called Master Plo Koon indirectly an ugly bug, and you still get to be trained as a Jedi?"

Jack shrugged. "The fact that I destroyed their Chambers is one of the prime reasons as to why I'm being trained. If I don't, I will put people at risk of being destroyed by my uncontrolled powers. Surely you see that."

Once Jack had been inducted into the Jedi Order, he was forced to get a haircut and wear a bread that would danger from his hair. When he looked in the mirror, he wanted to strangle the barber that dared to mess with his hair. His hair had been cut extremely short and the braid made him look like a pretty boy with mother issues. He did not care that every Jedi Padawan had to go through with this; he really believed that no one would take him seriously ever again.

Ahsoka was shaking her head in disbelief. "I understand, but I still can't believe that they would let you be trained at sixteen, for crying at loud."

Seeing as how she was reacting, Jack's age must have been significant in some way. "It really doesn't matter, Snips!"

"Do me a favor and not call me that," she warned.

"Yeah, you're right. It doesn't sound right coming from me anyway. I'm due down at the training room with Master Secura." He grinned. "I get to use a lightsaber."

She smirked. "Oh, this I've gotta see."

Whether it was his natural perception of people or he was becoming stronger in the Force, Jack could tell Ahsoka wasn't telling him something. He cocked an eyebrow suspiciously at her before heading down to the training room.

Aayla was in deep meditation again. She smirked when she sensed her new Padawan enter the training room. She also sensed Ahsoka coming in to watch Jack get his butt handed to him on day one. She would not disappoint.

"Welcome, Jack," she greeted without even turning around.

_Man!_ Jack thought, surprised. _The more I learn, the less I really know._

"Even today, the Force has been a great mystery to the Jedi," Aayla responded, turning around. "When we first met, you practiced using the Force, and you are stronger than many Jedi I've encountered, but you can't win with that alone. It drains your energy. The more power you use…"

"…the more exhausted I get," Jack finished.

Aayla nodded. "This is where the lightsaber comes in. Soon, like every Jedi, you will be taken to the planet Ilum where you will build your own lightsaber." She tossed him a training lightsaber. "For now, you will use this."

Jack ignited the weapon, a yellow blade appearing. "This is cool, but shouldn't practice with a weapon that won't slice an arm off in the blink of an eye?"

"It's a practice lightsaber," she explained. "The worst it can do is sting you."

"In that case," He gestured the lightsaber to her, "I'm ready."

A smirk appeared as she ignited hers. "Let us see what you can do."

Jack kept a confident smile on the outside, but he was freaking out on the inside. He's seen her go to town with that lightsaber. There was no way she could be beaten.

"Duels are not always about winning or losing, Jack," Aayla lectured, lowering her lightsaber. "Duels can be used to gather information about your opponent. This will let me know what to teach you, Padawan."

Gulping, Jack took a tentative step towards her as she raised her lightsaber. He struck first with a horizontal slice, but it was easily blocked. The crackle from the blades clashing sound like lightning, throwing Jack off a bit.

"Try not to think about what you want to do," she said. "Do it. By the time you think about what you want to do, it will be too late."

Deciding to change tactics, Jack started slashing in many directions, all of which were blocked by the Jedi Master. He pushed the lightsaber aside and aimed a kick at her only for his leg to get caught in her unarmed hand. She struck her lightsaber down, but Jack barely blocked it time, the blades inches away from his leg.

"Excellent!" Aayla complemented, tossing Jack to the ground. "You're a quick learner. Now, let's see how you do at defending yourself."

After her Padawan got to his feet, she lunged at him. While not nearly as complex as her attacks were on that planet, her attacks easily drove Jack against the wall, barely defending himself from the brutal attacks. Once he was pinned, one swipe knocked the lightsaber out of his hand. The blue blade stood inches from his neck with the wielder grinning like a clown.

"Again?" Aayla asked.

To her surprise, Jack had an evil smirk on his face, raising his hand. "I'm not finished yet."  
She braced herself for the Force Push that was expected, but something different happened instead. Her armed hand jerked back abruptly to her face, the hilt banging her square in the forehead. She cried in pain as she experienced a terrible headache and extreme dizziness, staggering back.

Concerned, Jack ran to her aide. "Master, I-I'm so sorry. Honestly, I didn't mean to hurt you that bad."

Wincing in pain, she replied with, "I'm fine, Padawan. You…just caught off guard. I'm impressed. That can save you in a battle."

Ahsoka couldn't believe this. Master Aayla Secura, one of the most expert lightsaber fighters she has ever seen, was beaten by a cheap shot. This kid was getting more and more interesting. Unconventional tactics have been known to save people, but this kid was starting to become unconventional.

Recovering not so quickly, Aayla readied herself. "Again."

For the next few hours, the two of them faced off in quick duels that left little to no rest time in between. More often than not, Aayla would hit Jack with the blade, and he would get drawn to tears by how painful the sting was, but he would not give up. Unlike most Padawans, who would collapse for a bit before continuing, the boy was not one to give up. He seemed accustomed to the pain after three stings. What Jack lacked in swordplay he made up for it with his quick tactics. At one point, Jack was once again disarmed, but he ran up a column, called his lightsaber to him, and back-flipped over Aayla while blocking a strike. _Clearly,_ he's been trained in some form of fighting.

Panting heavily, the two of them extinguished their sabers.

Both, well, mostly Jack, sustained injuries, but the bruise on Aayla's forehead would stand out for a while.

"So, what have you learned, Jack?" she asked.

"That I have a long way to go," he answered, taking a spot on the floor.

_He's humble to the point where he doesn't sell himself. Interesting._ "I will admit that you surprised me a few times. Tell me, have you been trained in unarmed combat?"

Jack nodded, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "It was better to be prepared so I don't end up a victim." _Again._

She caught that word, but decided not to press the issue. "We'll continue later. For right now, Ahsoka will be willing to guide you around the Temple and to the meal hall."

Not-so-willing Ahsoka nodded. "Yes, Master Secura."

Jack tried to hand the lightsaber back to Aayla, but she refused it.

"Keep it with you. You can train in your quarters with the remotes."

"Thank you, Master," he replied before following the Togruta out of the training chambers.

* * *

(Ryloth)

With her motorcycle form, Arcee was able to drive two Twi'leks at a time up the mountain. The ones who were sick, wounded, or were carrying children went first. She was met with extreme gratitude from these people. While she was just doing her job, these people truly believed her to be a blessing. Fortunately, some of the Twi'leks could climb the rocky slope on their own, but Arcee was ready in case one slipped. So far, only two fell, but she managed to catch them.

A few minutes ago, the clones caused an avalanche, blocking one of the entrances to the ravine. They could only come through one path now, but they would come in great numbers. At the sound of blasterfire Arcee resisted the urge to drive over and take out the droids remembering that these people had to stay safe. She only wished that she could do more.

Once they all reached the top, Arcee looked from above and witnessed Captain Keeli and Master Ima-Gun Di ripped apart by the lasers. They had made the ultimate sacrifice to give the Twi'leks time to escape. While she barely knew the two, she felt pained seeing them die.

"I hope there is peace for you now," she hoped.

"They were good men," Cham said watching the brutality on top of his mount. "Their sacrifices were far from vain. I only wish the Republic could be this honorable."

The moment those words left his mouth, a few ships flew overhead bearing the Republic insignia, much to the leader's surprise. Immediately, the Twi'leks started to cheer, their moods instantly lifted at this glimmer of hope. The ships dropped off a few pods before fleeing the system in order to avoid Separatist entanglements. The closest Twi'lek popped opened the pod and held up a crate with happiness.

"It's food and medical supplies from the Republic!" he shouted joyfully.

Once again, the natives sounded of their cheers while helping to unload the various supplies. Arcee could not help but smile as well even though in her vehicle form, no one could tell.

"I think this Republic has answered your prayers," she said.

Getting over the shock, Cham replied with, "Indeed. This should help us hold out for a little bit longer. I understand that you have your own obligations to attend to, so I will not force you to stay. Although, if you choose to leave, I have but one request."

"What is it?" she asked.

"Many of our villages have been attacked by the Separatists," Cham said gravely. "Sometimes, they have been bombed. Could you please...check to see if there are any survivors while you search for your friend? I can handle things with my people on this end, but I cannot look for my kind as quickly as you could."

"I'll do it!" Arcee assured. "Consider this my thank-you-for-not-shooting-me gift to you and your people." _Not that they could destroy me._

"I am most grateful, Arcee," he replied. "Good luck to you."

"And you as well."

Once again, she drove off into the distance, leaving a thankful people in her wake.

"Where is she going?" the blue-skinned Twi'lek questioned.

"To look for her friend, Gobi," Cham answered. "We will be fine, my friend. We just need to hold out a little longer."

* * *

(Coruscant; Jedi Temple)

Jack received a mixed reception when he entered the mess hall. Many of the Younglings and the Padawans stared at him as if he concocted leprosy or gave him looks of wonderment. Some just glared at him and others remained impassive. Jack knew exactly why this was happening: word had spread about the Council Chamber incident and they all were crossed between fearing him, envying him, and angered by him.

After choosing his food, (at least, he hoped it was food) Jack sat down next to Ahsoka, who was busy divulging herself with meat.

"Not to pry, but why do you have no vegetables on your plate?" he asked.

"I can't digest plants," she answered. "My species is that way."

Jack nodded, understanding the situation. "Oh, I see. So, uh, how long do you think it's going to be until they put me on the front lines?"

The Togruta shrugged. "Not sure, Jack. When I was assigned to Skyguy, I was sent directly into the fray on my first day."

Jack looked at her as if she was crazy. "Are they nuts!? Sending in a fourteen year old into battle just like that?"

She rolled her eyes, deciding to counter his offense. "Oh, don't get me started on your _secret_ missions that you conducted back on your planet."

"That was a different scenario," Jack protested. "Most of the time, I was-!"

Their conversation-turned-debate was interrupted by the sounds of their wrist comlinks beeping.

"Yes, Master?" they said simultaneously.

_"Ahsoka, the Council wishes to see us!"_ Anakin answered.

_"Jack, you are to report to the Council immediately,"_ Aayla stated at the same time.

"On my way," Ahsoka assured.

"I won't blow the Council Chamber up this time, Master," Jack promised. "I'll be right over."

Once their conversations ended, the two Padawans faced each other.

"Looks like we're having a mission together," Jack hypothesized as the left the mess hall.

"Hopefully, this one will be a walk in the park," Ahsoka hoped.

_A walk in the park, it is NOT! _Jack thought, making sure the Council members did not him.

The planet Ryloth, home of the Twi'leks, had been taken over by the Separatists being led by Wat Tambor, one of the key members of the Techno Union. They had blockaded the planet and are currently starving out the Twi'leks. To add to the misery, the Republic forces there had been wiped out including a Jedi Master. Apparently, Jedi who were strong in the Force could sense it when one of their own perished.

"In order for the Republic forces to reach the planet's surface, the blockade must be destroyed," Mace stated. "Skywalker, you and Tano will have to take out that blockade!"

Anakin smirked. "I think I can handle that, Master Windu."

"An easy task, it is not," Yoda warned. "Too many casualties, we have received from the Separatists."

"We'll take care of it," the Jedi Knight assured.

Plo Koon turned Jack. "The Council believes that you should go with them, Jackson, as an observer."

The teen raised his eyebrows slightly. "What do you mean, Master Plo?"

"Too soon to assign you to a mission, it is," Yoda explained, "but need experience, you do."

"You will be assigned to Skywalker's cruiser," Mace stated. "You will observe and aid whenever possible, but you cannot engage the enemy. Consider this to be a learning experience for when you will lead the armies."

"And my master?" Jack asked.

"She is being assigned to a different mission," Mace replied.

Getting a confirmation nod by Aayla, Jack stated, "Yes, Master."

"Go now, and may the Force be with you," Plo finished, sending them off.

Bowing, Ahsoka, Anakin, and Jack left the temporary Council Chambers, but Aayla stayed behind.

"More to say, have you, Master Secura?" Yoda questioned.

Jack paused and turned around in case he needed to stay.

"You need not stay, Padawan," the Twi'lek assured with a smile. "Go with them."

"Yes, Master," he replied before exiting the chambers.

Aayla turned to the Masters. "My Padawan has the makings of a Jedi, Masters, and not just because of his midi-chlorian count."

"Go on," Plo said.

"When we sparred, what he lacked in swordplay, he made up for with...other things. Even after I disarmed him, he would not give up. He used the Force to use my weapon against me." She indicated the black bruise on her forehead. "The hilt of my lightsaber impacted here and almost knocked me out."

"Very interesting," Mace noted, a little impressed. "That would save him in a fight. However, I sense there is something else."

Aayla nodded. "Yes. If it is the will of the Council, I would like to take my Padawan to Ilum and have him construct his lightsaber."

"I believe that is a wise idea," Plo replied. "He will be joining in battle soon."

"I agree," Yoda added. "Granted, your request is."

Aayla bowed with a grin. "Thank you, Masters. May the Force be with us."

**This chapter is just...meh...in my opinion. Rest assured, the next chapter will be awesome.**

**I need reviews, so please Review no matter who you are, but no flames please! **

**I'm sorry the Arcee sections were short, but she will play a bigger role once Obi-Wan lands on Ryloth.**

**Next chapter: Jack gets first-hand experience at a certain someone's failure.**


	7. Chapter 6: Storm Over Ryloth

Chapter 6: Storm Over Ryloth

(The _Resolute_; in route to Ryloth)

"You're going to wear out the floor if you keep doing that," Anakin noted.

Jack, who had been pacing back and forth, ignored that comment. "I can't help it, Ana-Master Skywalker. Since this is my first time going into war, I'm entitled to a little anxiety."

Anakin put a hand on his shoulder. "Relax, kid. You're only observing, not flying a starfighter directly into the fray. That's Ahsoka's job."

When Jack came aboard the _Resolute,_ Captain Rex had offered to show Jack some of the ropes, teaching him about how much a cruiser can withstand, the defenses, and even showed him a simulation room where the commanding officers tested various strategies to see the most likely outcome of a fight. Rex was going to teach him how to man a turret, but then Jack had to report to the bridge as they were coming out of hyperspace soon. Anakin had wanted Jack at the bridge so he could observe.

Jack was surprised when Anakin decided to let Ahsoka lead her team on this high-stakes mission. At first, he couldn't see the Togruta as a leader, and given the fact that she was a teenager, but then he realized he had only just met her. According to her master and Captain Rex, Ahsoka was a very capable Padawan. She even saved Anakin's life when she first started. Anakin had failed to mention that for obvious reasons.

"What don't you try meditating?" the Jedi General suggested. "In your case, it might help."

Jack shrugged. "I don't know. I'm supposed to calm my mind, or something, but mine is a little...complicated."

Having been briefed about Jack's medical condition, he understood. "Yeah, I agree. Bad idea." _At least you have an excuse to get out of it. I wasn't so fortunate when I was your age._ "Can't have you blowing up my ship. That might dent your career."

Jack laughed mirthlessly before giving a deadpanned, "Hysterical."

He knew that Anakin meant it as a joke, but that was one of the teen's growing fears. If something like that were to happen in a major city, he could level the place by accident and kill thousands of people. The reason he was pacing was that he was terrified that he would take down the ship and everyone would be dead because of him.

To his surprise, Anakin was smarter than he looked, or he was broadcasting his thoughts again. "As Jedi, we will make sure you won't end up in that scenario, kid. You'll be fine."

Jack opened his mouth to retort, but then Admiral Yularen's voice blared over the intercoms.

_"Attention, we are coming out of hyperspace! Repeat, we are coming out of hyperspace! All ships prepare for launch. All ships prepare for launch."_

"This is it," the teen stated.

"I'm seeing Ahsoka off," Anakin replied. "Want to come with?"

"Sure, why not?"

* * *

The hanger was one of the busiest spots in the cruiser, specifically because of the orders received by Yularen. Clones were piling into V-19s while Ahsoka entered her own Jedi Starfighter, a maroon-colored ship. They would be heading off to battle any moment now.

Her green astromech droid beeped nervously.

"This is my first time commanding a squadron, R7," the Togruta informed. "Let's make a good impression."

R7 chirped a question.

"Of course I'm not nervous," she answered, slightly insulted.

"Hey, Snips!" a familiar voice exclaimed.

Ahsoka looked to see Jack and Anakin approaching her, the former staring at the scenery in wonder.

"This is it, your first command," the Jedi Knight stated. "Don't be nervous."

Exasperated, Ahsoka replied with, "I wish everyone would stop saying that."

Taking on a more serious tone, Anakin said, "The men you're commanding are depending on you with their lives."

"No pressure," Jack added.

"Thanks," the Togruta said, deadpanned and sarcastic. "That takes the pressure off. If I wasn't nervous before, I sure am now."

"I think you'll be fine," the teen stated with a grin. "Right, Master Skywalker?"

Anakin nodded. "We have faith in you. I wouldn't send you out there if I didn't think you could handle it."

"Good luck, Ahsoka," Jack said. "I think the phrase is, 'May the Force be with you."'

She grinned in response. "I won't let you down."

Satisfied, the two males headed back to the bridge, but only Jack heard her add, "I hope."

As she prepared her fighter, Ahsoka asked in the intercom, "Okay, you boys ready?"

"This is Two, Axe," her fellow fighter answered, sounding off. "Ready when you are, skipper."

"Ready on Three! This is Slammer, over."

"Ready on Four. Kickback checking in, over."

"Swoop to Blue Leader, group two is standing by, over."

"Tucker on Five. Waiting for mother bird, over."

Once the sound-off was completed, Ahsoka flew out of the Republic cruiser with a confident smile. The ten V-19s soon followed, trailing behind her and locking S-foils into attack position. No sooner did they depart that the Vulture Droids from the Droid Control Ship soar towards them like a swarm of bees. The battle was about to begin.

The plan was simple: after cutting through the defenses, Ahsoka and her Blue Team would advance onto the battleship and either destroy or cripple it, throwing the droids into chaos. Once that happened, the Republic cruisers, the _Resolute, _the _Defender,_ and the _Redeemer_ would bombard the rest of the forces and destroy the blockade.

Inside the _Resolute_, Anakin approached Yularen and said, "Tell Ahsoka the fleet is ready."

"Commander, you're all clear," the admiral announced.

_"Thank you, Admiral,"_ Ahsoka replied. _"Keep the cruisers back until we've softened them up. Well, R7, are you ready for some action?"_

The droid gave a confirmation beep.

_ "Axe, keep the squadron back and wait for my signal."_

_"You got it, Boss,"_ Axe said.

_ "Here we go!"_

The droids opened fire first, blaster fire encasing the area, but the experienced pilots outmaneuvered them easily, taking many of them down. Ahsoka was quickly racking up her kills and so far, she hadn't lost one of her men.

_ "All right, boys,"_ she said. _"Let's clear a path."_

_"Right away, sir,"_ Axe replied.

_ "Pick your targets,"_ the Togruta added as an afterthought.

"That's a lot of explosions," Jack noted, trying to ignore the overlapping voices.

Anakin smirked. "That's what happens when starfighters explode. So far, this is looking promising."

Jack nodded back, hoping that this would be over soon. He was still nervous about the whole scenario, hoping that the cruisers wouldn't get attacked, but Rex assured him beforehand that the cruisers could withstand the Vulture Droids. So far, he was learning that taking command meant having confidence under pressure and extreme flying skills. He hoped that he would be able to practice soon.

_"We've got their fighters occupied,"_ Ahsoka announced as she blasted two Vulture Droids. _"Axe, time for us to make a run for the battleship."_

_ "Come on, you whiners," _Axe said as four fighters formed up behind him. _"Let's get dirty."_

Jack frowned for a moment. This all seemed way too easy. He noticed that Anakin had the same look on his face, thinking the same thing. If Ryloth had only two cruisers and a control shop blockading it, why was the Republic fleet that was previously here destroyed?

Their answer came in the form of four, Separatist cruisers coming out of hyperspace.

"Admiral, four more enemy cruisers have joined the blockade," the navigation officer reported.

"We've got to warn those fighters," Yularen stated before turning on the comlink. "Commander, we've been caught in a trap!"

_"You're overreacting, Admiral,"_ she replied. _"I can get us through."_

Jack's jaw dropped open. She did not just say that. Six cruisers, a droid control ship, and a swarm of Vulture Droids means that Admiral Yularen is overreacting!?

_"Blue Squadron, stay the course!"_ Ahsoka instructed.

_"We're all set, Blue Leader,"_ Axe said.

Anakin's eyes narrowed. He wasn't liking where this is going.

"I'm ordering you to return to this ship!" Yularen exclaimed furiously. "We're going to need your help."

"Ahsoka, it's too risky," Anakin added. "Get your pilots out of there."

"She's not turning around," a clone noticed.

The admiral glared at Anakin. "Did you train her _not_ to follow orders?"

_"Axe, are you still there?"_ Ahsoka asked, fear evident in her voice. _"Come on, boys, stay in formation."_

_"Got two on my tail!"_ Axe exclaimed. _"I can't shake them."_

_ "I can't help you, Axe,_" Slammer said. _"I've got my own problems."_

A Vulture Droid fired upon Slammer's ship mercilessly until it hit home. The clone screamed in pain as his V-19 exploded.

Jack watched in horror as the Separatist Cruisers and the Vulture Droids began to attack the Republic cruisers.

"We're far too outnumbered!" Yularen yelled over the explosions. "They're breaking our lines!"

"Ahsoka, we are in trouble," Anakin stated firmly. "I order you to return back here."

_"All right, all right!" _she answered, conceding, albeit reluctantly and disrespectfully. _"Come on, guys. Pull back to the command ship."_

_"Why are we retreating?"_ Axe questioned.

Ahsoka clenched her teeth. _"We're not retreating! We're following orders."_

"Let me man a turret!" Jack offered.

"No," Anakin responded. "You don't know how to use one. You'd be more of a liability"

_What kind of teacher are you?_ Jack wondered, but then his eyes widened in horror. "Kamikazes!"

Sure enough, the Vulture Droids starting crashing directly into the cruisers, causing more damage than the blasterfire that was being inflicted upon it.

"Intensify deflector shields!" Yularen ordered.

"There are too many," the navigation officer responded. "We can't shoot them all down."

"Fighter squadron, where are you!?" the admiral questioned.

_"Cool your jets, Admiral,"_ Ahsoka replied, clearly annoyed. _"We're almost there."_

Once again, Jack had lost patience, for she was acting like a certain annoyance back home, and activated his comlink."You know, maybe you should keep a lid on your mouth and start...oh, I don't know? HELPING OUT!"

Anakin moved to rebuke Jack, but then something caught his eye: a Kamikaze heading straight towards them.

"Run for it!" he shouted, shoving the teen forwards.

The Vulture Droid impacted the bridge deflector shields, but it wasn't enough to break through the windows. The force of the explosion, however, caused quite a bit of mayhem. The ones closest to the explosion were smashed against the wall, bones breaking and their necks snapping. Anakin and Jack went flying across the corridor, but Yularen suffered the worst out of the three. He crashed headfirst into a computer terminal.

_"Admiral, come in!"_ Ahsoka exclaimed. _"Admiral!"_

"Hang on, Admiral," Anakin said, wiping the blood off his cut lip.

"Get us out of here," Yularen ordered before succumbing to unconsciousness.

Spitting blood out of his mouth, Jack yelled, "Medic!"

"Get those fighters on board and prepare for light speed," the Jedi Knight demanded, angry at how this was turning out.

The _Resolute_ and the _Defender _managed to turn around, but the _Redeemer_, too heavily damaged, exploded, killing everyone on board.

"All fighters return!" a clone ordered. "We're preparing for light speed!"

_"Uh, right,"_ Ahsoka replied nervously. _"Axe, stay on it. We only have a few seconds to get on board."_

_"Don't worry about me, Skipper,"_ Axe assured, but then groaned. _"Ah, my power convertors, they're failing."_

_"Just stay with me, Axe!"_ she pleaded.

As the remaining fighters hurried towards the cruiser, Axe's was bombarded by three Vulture Droids. He tried to evade them, but their shots hit their mark. He screamed his last as he vanished in a ball of flame.

_"AXE!"_ Ahsoka shouted.

"Ahsoka, talk to me," Anakin demanded. "What's going on?"

"Close up the hanger doors," she said. "We're home."

Thanks to Ahsoka, out of the ten fighters she led, only Swoop and Kickback made it back alive to dock in the hanger. The _Redeemer_ was destroyed, many clones were dead on the remaining cruisers, and Admiral Yularen was injured badly. All in all, as the Republic forces retreated in hyperspace, it was a disastrous defeat.

* * *

Ahsoka sat on her starfighter, utterly defeated. This time, the situation warranted her to blame herself for today's events. She got cocky and her team and the mission paid the price. She couldn't face Swoop and Kickback after what she put them through. Thanks to her, people had died when she could have just followed orders.

Sighing, Anakin approached her. "Ahsoka, I am very disappointed in you. Not only did you disrespect and disobey the admiral, but you disobeyed me."

"I thought I could knock out those battleships," she responded, "so when Master Obi-Wan arrived, he could get through."

"I know you meant well, Snips, but there's a bigger picture that you're not aware of. First rule of war: listen and obey your superiors!"

"But sometimes _you_ get carried away!" Ahsoka protested.

Putting a hand on her shoulder, he replied with, "All that means is that I understand what you're going through."

"But I failed."

"It was a trap, Snips. It wasn't your fault."

That didn't help her. "I lost almost all of my pilots because of my decision."

"Take heart, little one," Anakin said. "That's the reality of command."

Captain Rex cleared his throat. "Pardon me, General, but we're approaching our staging area."

"Very good, Captain."

"Master Windu is requesting a report on our progress," he added.

"Our progress, huh?" Anakin asked. "Well, we haven't _made_ any progress."

"I'll tell him, sir," the clone captain offered.

"No, Rex," Anakin intervened. "I'll tell him myself. Thank you. As soon as we tend to our wounded, get me a damage report."

"Right away, sir," Rex replied, heading out.

"Now, Snips, I'm gonna need you to..." His voice trailed off when he realized that she had walked away. He decided to let her be, preparing for the unpleasant experience he was about to face.

* * *

Ahsoka paced down the corridors, avoiding the eyes of her fellow clone troops. She could not bear to look them in the eyes after the stunt she pulled. She decided to visit Jack so that she could apologize to him for making things worse. Yularen was currently in intensive treatment, so she wouldn't be able to see him for a while, but she could at least confide in a fellow Padawan.

Tentatively, she knocked on the door.

"Come in," a deadpanned voice answered.

She opened the door and entered the room.

Jack suffered a few injuries from the explosion on the bridge, but he patched them up on his own, not wanting to deprive the others from getting medical care. However, seeing those injuries tore the Togruta apart as well as the glare he fixed her with.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he asked, angry. "Do you think the admiral was overreacting now?" Seeing her distraught face, Jack realized he went too far. "I'm sorry, Ahsoka. That was wrong."

She raised her hand. "No, I deserved that. I completely ruined everything."

"Well, at least you are learning from this," he replied, trying to cheer her up. "I can't say the same to an acquaintance back home. She would always go the extra mile to go right where the action was, unarmed, mind you, in order to seek some sort of fulfillment. I think she has issues."

Ahsoka gaped at him. "Seriously? Who would be crazy enough to want to do that?"

Jack shrugged. "Who knows?" He paused for a moment, staring at her face. "You know, there's nothing wrong with crying."

Ahsoka shook her head. "No, I can't. You know the Code."

Jack stood up and faced her. "You can't bottle up these feeling inside, Ahsoka. It will tear you apart."

Her voice started to break. "I...I...I..."

At long last, she couldn't keep it in. Ahsoka shed her tears as Jack, instinctively, hugged her close while whispering, "It's okay. Just let it out. Just let it out." He knew that he was going over dangerous ground by doing this, but rules be damned. Let the girl have a good cry and be held. By doing this, he allowed Ahsoka to know if she ever needed a shoulder to cry on, he would be here for her.

* * *

"They caught us by surprise, Master," Anakin announced to Mace and Obi-Wan via holograms. "We were outnumbered."

"_How many men did you lose?_" Obi-Wan asked, concerned.

"We lost a cruiser, the _Redeemer,_ plus an entire squadron of fighters."

His former master hesitated. "_And...your Padawan?_"

He shook his head. "No, Ahsoka is fine. She's just recovering from the battle. Losing her squadron was hard to take."

"_What about Jackson?_" Mace questioned.

"He sustained a few injuries, but he's fine. It wasn't quite the experience he was expecting."

"_Give her time,_" Obi-Wan suggested, "_but, Anakin, you will need her help if you're going to get through this._"

"I know."

Mace decided to add his two cents in. "_Your forces have been cut in half, Skywalker. If you can't break through that blockade before the next planetary rotation, we will have to postpone the invasion._"

"The Twi'leks on that planet can't wait forever, Master," Anakin replied. "The longer the Techno Union keeps control of Ryloth, the more difficult it will be to free them."

Mace nodded. "_I agree. We don't have much time._"

With that, the two men cut the transmission.

"Rex, see if you can find Ahsoka and Jack," Anakin commanded.

* * *

Ahsoka and Jack watched as the medical droid attended to Yularen's wounds. They marveled at the fact that he was still alive after smashing into a computer terminal.

"He is stable for now," the droid stated.

Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka said what she needed to say, her eyes red and puffy. "Admiral, I am so sorry." She took his hand into hers. "They're all gone."

At that moment, Rex entered the room. "Commander Ahsoka, Jackson, General Skywalker is looking for the two of you."

"Thank you, Captain," Jack said. "Let's go, Ahsoka."

The two followed Rex to the hanger where Anakin and Artoo were tinkering with Ahsoka's starfighter.

"You wanted to see us, Master?" Ahsoka asked.

"Ahsoka, hand me that socket plug," he said.

She took the tool from Artoo and handed it to him. "Here."

"Thanks, Snips."

"I hope that's not why you called us here, Master Skywalker," Jack said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"I wanted to know how you guys were feeling."

"Oh, I'm fine, Master," she lied. "Just fine."

"I'll live," Jack answered.

"That's good to here," he replied as he continued his tinkering. "I'm gonna need you levelheaded if we're gonna pull this thing off."

Ahsoka was clearly confused. "Pull this off? Pull what off?"

Jack widened his eyes in realization. "Master, do you mean-?"

"I talked to Master Windu," Anakin interrupted. "We are to proceed with our attack on the blockade."

"What!?" Ahsoka exclaimed. "We can't!"

"I have to agree with her, sir," Jack added, frowning.

"You don't understand. We _have_ to break that blockade. The Twi'leks on Ryloth are depending on us." He turned to Jack. "Rex will give you a crash course on manning a turret, Jack. You'll be using one once we return to the Ryloth system."

Ahsoka couldn't believe it. "I understand that, Master, but we've lost so many men. Did we get more support?"

Anakin was starting to get stressed out. "No. We have to make do with the forces we have, and I need to come up with a plan."

"You don't even have a plan!?" Ahsoka questioned, horrified.

"Don't worry, Ahsoka," he assured with an annoying grin.

Jack had to intervene. "With the utmost respect, Master, we _can't_ make do. Nothing short of a miracle can get us through."

"I said not to worry," he replied, getting frustrated. "Know your place, Jackson."

"No, he's right!" Ahsoka shot back, furious. "That's what you said last time, and now everyone's gone! My whole squadron!"

Anakin's grin was instantly replaced by a frown and a furious expression. "Ahsoka-!"

"We can't just smash through that blockade!"

For a brief moment, Jack believed that the argument would escalate into blows, given the intense standoff between the two. Fortunately, before Anakin could say anything else, his comlink beeped. Giving Ahsoka a glower, he answered it. "Skywalker here."

"_General, the_ Defender _is contacting us,"_ Rex answered. "_There seems to be a problem."_

"All right, Rex. I'll be right there. Jack will be coming with me." He ended the transmission before facing Ahsoka. "Go back to your quarters and cool...off! We'll finish this talk later!"

Without saying another word, the Togruta left the premises.

"I would appreciate if you knew when to keep your mouth shut, Jackson," Anakin warned, giving him another glare. "Come with me!"

Jack walked quickly with him towards the bridge. "Like I said, I meant no disrespect. It's just hard trying to find a positive light in all of this. Like she said, we can't just smash through with what we have."

Anakin halted in his footsteps. "Wait. Smashing through?" He snapped his fingers with a grin on his face. "I've got an idea!"

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, the alarms began to blare. All clones were rushing to their posts as Ahsoka exited her quarters to investigate the commotion.

"Trooper, what's going on?" she asked.

"The starship, _Defender, _is being evacuated, sir," a clone answered.

"Evacuated? Why?"

"I'm not sure, Commander. We're on our way to help General Skywalker in the hanger."

Curious, she followed the clones right back to the hanger where many of the others were placing supplies from the _Defender _inside. Anakin, on top of a podium, was directing them with urgency in his voice when his Padawan approached him.

"Master, I'm almost afraid to ask."

"I ordered the _Defender_ evacuated," he answered.

She scoffed, still upset with him. "I can see that. Why?"

To her surprise, he smirked. "Well, actually, I got the idea from you."

That cleared up nothing for Ahsoka. "Oh, great."

He hopped down and said, "Rex, take over for me, will you?" He turned to Ahsoka. "You said we couldn't just smash through the blockade. I decided that's partly true. You also implied that my plans put a lot of people at risk, and I agree with you on that one."

"That's a first."

Anakin ignored that comment. "I decided the only way we can break the blockade is if I pilot the _Defender_ right into their battleship and take out the Commander."

"What?" She had been using that word a lot lately, each time justified.

"This way, I'm the only one at risk. Besides, the _Defender_ is damaged already."

This time, Ahsoka protested out of fear for her master's life. "You can't be serious, Master. You'll die!"

"No, I won't. That's where you come in. The enemy can't stop that ship from taking them out. Artoo and I will get into an escape pod and jettison right before impact."

"But the enemy fleet is right there!" she protested.

Anakin nodded in agreement. "I know. And I'll pretty much be defenseless in my escape pod, so I'm depending on you to engage the remaining fleet with the combined forces we have here."

"Master, I—I can't. If something goes wrong, I can't be responsible for-!"

"You _are_ responsible, Ahsoka," Anakin corrected firmly. "These men are depending on you, and this time, so am I."

She gave a last-ditch effort to avoid this. "But, Master, last time, I-."

"Attention!" Anakin shouted. "Everyone, attention!"

Every clone trooper halted what they were doing and formed up around Anakin and Ahsoka.

"All right, men, listen up! I'm taking over the _Defender_, and I'm leaving Commander Ahsoka in charge. She'll lead the second half of the mission when we engage what's remaining of the blockade."

"Try to leave some ships for us, General," Rex requested, pounding his fist into his hand.

Anakin chuckled. "Will do, Rex. Now, Commander Ahsoka will fill you in on the full plan."

Ahsoka glared at him and whispered, "Master, wait."

"Good luck," he said, winking as he entered the shuttle.

"Master," she snarled, baring her teeth slightly.

"Awaiting your orders, Commander," Rex stated.

Clearly defeated, she replied with, "I'll...be on...the bridge."

When the clones didn't move, Rex said, "Well, you hear her, boys. Back to work. Come on. Move it! Move it!"

Anakin flew over to the _Defender_ just as the last of the forces entered the _Resolute._

* * *

After thirty minutes, Ahsoka entered the bridge where Rex was waiting.

"Commander on deck!" he announced while he and the men stood at attention.

"At ease," she replied, approaching the hologram table.

"General Skywalker is contacting you," Rex informed.

Anakin's hologram appeared in front of them. "All right, Ahsoka. We're ready to get under way."

"Master, are you sure you won't reconsider this?" she asked, hoping for a miracle.

"This is the only way," he answered. "Trust me."

His hologram faded as the _Defender_ made the jump to hyperspace.

"Better fill us in, Commander," Rex suggested.

"Right," Ahsoka replied uncomfortably.

She filled them in on what Anakin had told her while the _Resolute_ entered light speed and the results were obviously negative.

Rex spoke up first. "Well, I have to say, this plan is...questionable."

"Yeah, but with their General destroyed along with the battleship," Ahsoka said, "the droid commanders will be in chaos."

"Only temporarily," the clone captain pointed out, "_and_ there's still General Skywalker to find in all that mess."

Her confidence was fading at every passing second. "I know, but-"

"In our first attack, we had three fully armed cruisers and we failed," the navigation officer interrupted.

"I wish General Skywalker had discussed this plan with us," Rex stated. "The odds are very much against us."

"They always are," Ahsoka agreed.

"Yes, but normally we have General Skywalker to lead us in-!" The officer stopped what he was saying after receiving a withering glare from Rex and a downcast expression from Ahsoka. "I meant no offense, Commander."

"None taken," she replied sadly, the grief still near.

Suddenly, Jack burst into the room and ran straight towards the center.

"I've got an idea," he gasped, saluting. "It's risky, but it's best one we've got." He turned to Ahsoka. "If you don't mind?"

She grinned for the first time since the incident. "Go ahead, Jack."

When Jack found out what situation Anakin had put her in, he was furious with him, to say the least. He decided to take matters into his own hands and come up with the plan. So, he spent the last thirty minutes in the simulation room trying to devise strategies. With every single one, he usually received percentages that had a chance 15% or lower to succeed. Just when he was about to throw the towel in, he realized that he didn't take into account the type of fighters they had and the shields the _Resolute_ carried.

Demonstrating with the holograms that currently showed the enemy forces, Jack explained the plan. "Okay, so one cruiser against six. The odds aren't in our favor. However, if the Commander is of business, we're left with droids who are programmed to kill, not think. A straight-on attack would destroy us all within 10 minutes, give or take. But, if we angled her hull against the frigates, the critical areas would be protected. Then, the cruisers will have to get closer if they want to kill us.

"Meanwhile, you've got...What are they called? Y-Wings?" When Rex nodded, he continued, but faced Ahsoka. "Do you see where I'm going with this?"

Ahsoka took over confidently. "The bombers would outflank them and they would be trapped."

"Exactly!"

Rex smirked at the plan, but there was a skeptic on board.

"I'm not sure about this, Commander," the officer said.

Ahsoka started to stutter again, but Rex gave her a hand.

"If we were certain the shields would hold."

"Perhaps a different strategy. We need to take more time to plan."

"We don't have any more time!" Ahsoka exclaimed. "Master Skywalker needs me now!"

"He needs _us_ now," Jack quickly corrected.

"They are right," a familiar voice said.

They turned to see Admiral Yularen walk over to the middle of the room as confident as he was before the injuries.

"I know this strategy is very bold. But these circumstances call for drastic measures."

When Jack came up with the strategy, he went to Yularen for guidance and the admiral offered to support the two once they put in on the table.

"Then, the strategy will work, sir?" the navigation officer asked.

Yularen turned to Ahsoka. "Well, will it?"

After a pause, she answered with, "Yes, it will."

The _Resolute_ exited hyperspace, witnessing the _Defender_ zooming directly towards the battleship despite the barrage of lasers that were impacting it.

"When those two ships collide, there'll be chaos," Ahsoka noted. "We need that time to get General Skywalker's pod into the tractor beam."

Rex nodded. "Right, Commander."

As she was about to leave, she said, "I'll command the fighter squadron. Wait for my signal to begin our attack. Jack, man the bridge turret."

"Yes, Commander," he responded. "Good luck."

Once she left, Jack turned to the admiral. "I want to thank you, Admiral, for supporting our plan."

"You are welcome, Jackson," he replied. "May the Force be with you."

At long last, the _Defender_ crashed directly into the battleship, destroying it completely.

_"Skyguy," _Ahsoka said over the comlink, _"we're approaching your position. Stand by for retrieval."_

_"Right on time, Ahsoka," _Anakin replied.

On cue, the _Resolute_ was angled so that the hull would take the brunt of the attack, but to their surprise, the enemies did not open fire.

"I don't think they're going to attack, Commander," Yularen said.

"We'll have to retreat," Rex added.

_ "No, wait!"_ Ahsoka exclaimed. (she had been saying, "No" a lot as well) _"Remember, they are droids. They're just a little slow. They'll figure it out."_

Finally, the six cruisers opened fire. The hull took a lot of punishment, but it was holding together.

"Droids are attacking, sir!" the navigation officer announced.

_ Thank you, Captain of Duh!_ Jack thought inwardly.

"Commander, on your order, commence flanking maneuver," Yularen said.

_ "Okay, boys!"_ Ahsoka replied. _"Here we go. Follow my lead!"_

With the hull blocking the view of the hanger, the Y-Wings and the V-19s were able to launch without being seen, giving them the perfect opportunity to give the Separatists a wicked surprise. With proton torpedoes and bombs, they took out the cruisers one by one. The _Resolute_ also attacked with Jack landing critical blows on a cruiser, destroying it. The Force was truly smiling upon them today.

"Commander," Rex announced. "The invasion fleet is coming out of hyperspace."

_"Ahsoka, this is Obi-Wan. May we begin our landing?"_

_ "Yes, Master,"_ she answered. _"You're cleared for ground assault."_

There was an exasperated sigh over the comms. _"I won't even ask where the rest of Anakin's fleet is, or why he's in an escape pod."_

_ "That's probably for the best,"_ the Togruta agreed. _"Rex, that reminds me: send a shuttle to pick up Master Skywalker."_

"Will do, Commander," Rex replied.

_"Master Obi-Wan," _Ahsoka added. _"One more thing: while Master Anakin destroyed the battleship, it was Jack's plan that helped destroy the remaining cruisers."_

_ "Is that so?"_ Obi-Wan replied, pleasantly surprised. _"Well, the Council is in for interesting debrief."_

Windu's voice came on the comms, his tone a combination of impressed and rebuke. _"Jackson, wasn't your mandate _not_ to engage to enemy? I believe you were suppose to observe and listen."_

Jack grinned mischievously. "Well, I did learn that when working with Master Skywalker, he tends to throw those rules out the window."

_"The Council will debrief you once you return,"_ Mace stated, clearly unamused. "Well done."

_Did he just complement me? _"Thank you, Master, and good luck on the invasion. Send me a postcard if you can!"

_"What's a postcard?"_ Obi-Wan wondered.

**Phew! Another long chapter. Yeah, space battles aren't my thing. Sorry.**

**Review, vote, etc.**

**I let Jack come up with the plan not just because he's the main character, but because of realistic moments. Ahsoka was emotionally unable to come up with the plan, and it was extremely evident in the episode.**

**I made up the simulation room. I figured the cruisers have one to figure out strategies.**

**BTW, Anakin was a real jerk to Ahsoka in this episode and a bit of a whiner in his voice. **

**Next chapter: Obi-Wan invades Ryloth and runs into a certain female.**


	8. Chapter 7: Interesting Developments

**Time for me to answer some reviewer questions from the last chapter.**

**Both Guests: I can't tell you anything except that the answers you seek will be coming soon.**

**Dreddman95: Thank you for your complement. I truly appreciate it.**

**I'm Yu: I'm interested. PM me about the styles you have in mind.**

**Latinfenix101: Sadly, no. Jack is back at the Temple. (spoiler) By the time he hears about Arcee is when she shows up to Coruscant.**

**Qdon: Thank you.**

**EgyLynx: More chapters. LOL! Seriously, though, it's going to be an interesting ride this story.**

**Kyuubi-Titan: Yeah, Jack is still human. His troubles are only beginning.**

**ArkonWinfel: That is a good question. The Council members kept the contents of the memories and visions under wraps to respect Jack's privacy. Only Aayla knows outside the Council. Obi-Wan is not on the Council yet, so he has no idea. **

**vampireharry the 2: Thank you.**

**Ideas are welcome. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 7: Interesting Developments

The destruction of the blockade was widely celebrated amongst the Jedi and the clones, but time was of the essence. Down on the surface, the Twi'leks were still suffering from the droids and Wat Tambor and the Jedi knew that he wouldn't surrender despite the loss of his blockade. Another factor they had to consider was that since time was running out, just how long would Tambor wait until he started executing the Twi'leks? Not wanting to wait around, Jedi Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu got down to business as they planned their strategy to liberate the natives.

"First trick will be getting our troops on the ground," Obi-Wan stated as he boarded the Low Altitude Assault Transport, or LAAT.

"If you take the city of Nabat first," Mace informed, "we'll have our landing zone."

Crossing his arms, Obi-Wan replied with, "Well, it's time to meet the natives."

For a brief moment, the two men silently hoped that this liberation would be simple now that the blockade was gone, but reality took over their thoughts. Since when were dealings with Separatists ever easy?

* * *

Wat Tambor was far from a happy person today. Ever since the blockade was destroyed, he had been on edge. If things got out of control, he would find himself either in the Republic's clutches or six feet in the ground. He hoped that his droid army and the Twi'lek hostages would repel his enemies and keep them out, but that hope was beginning to fade.

What hasn't been calming his nerves was the blasted person that kept freeing the Twi'leks every chance he got. The droid forces that were being sent to these villages never came back, but one competent battle droid managed to relay a strange message: the constant thorn in his side was a human wearing a black jumpsuit and driving a two-wheeler. Were it not for the lack of droids and hostages, he would have brushed it off as a primitive Human.

Contacting the tactical droid commander via hologram, TX-20, Tambor gave out the most obvious order. "You must not allow the clones to reach the surface."

If TX-20 could, he would roll his eyes at the "duh" statement. "_Our new proton cannons are in the optimal position to prevent that, sir._"

"What-?" Tambor had to adjust the vocalizer on his suit for a brief moment. "What if they focus the attack on your cannons?"

"_I am utilizing the prisoners from this village as living shields,_" TX-20 answered. "_I calculate the Jedi will not risk the prisoners' safety with a direct assault._"

"Very good, TX-20," the Separatist complemented. "Now, what about the other problem?"

"_The Human is only delaying the inevitable,_" the droid droned. "_We will have him dissected as his primitive machine dismantled within the next four hours._"

"See that it is done," Tambor ordered. "Not one piece Republic scum will remain alive. Do you understand?"

"_Clearly,_" it answered with...attitude? "_Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an invasion to halt._"

To Tambor's surprise, the droid hung up on him. Oh, how he hated droids.

* * *

Once the cruisers were low enough to the surface, the LAATs exited the carriers and flew towards the Twi'leks villages. The cruisers could easily destroy the droids with their weapons, but it would kind of defeat the purpose as to why the Republic was there in the first place.

Just in case, Obi-Wan explained it to the clones. "We need to remember why we're here. We came to _aid_ the Twi'leks, not destroy their home. Cody?"

His faithful clone commander continued the speech. "That means we'll be taking it back the hard way. Minimal destruction with blasters and droid poppers only. No rockets or detonators. Check your aim. Keep an eye out for the locals. Am I understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" the troops shouted.

One clone, Boil, wasn't thrilled about the situation. "If we're here to free the tail-heads, the least they can do is get out of our way."

A glare from Cody shut him up.

Suddenly, explosions rocked their world as cannons were fired upon the LAATs and the cruisers. While the shields could protect the cruisers from most attacks, proton projectiles seemed to be slicing through them like butter. The LAATs stood know chance as several of them exploded and crashed to the ground in a fiery inferno. Even a cruiser fell to the cannons, falling towards the ground.

As expected, Mace's hologram appeared in front of Obi-Wan who expected the call.

"I believe we have overstayed our welcome," the bearded Jedi joked briefly.

Mace wasn't in the mood for jokes, humor, or smiles. "_Not now, Kenobi. We can't risk landing the large transports until you take out those guns._"

All levity aside, Obi-Wan responded, "Pull back! We'll take care of it."

"_May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan,_" he replied before ending the transmission.

"Who's up for a challenge?" Obi-Wan shouted over the explosions. "We're not getting any reinforcements until those guns are out of commission!"

"Here we go again," another clone, Waxer, complained.

Once the remaining LAATs made it through the barrage, they landed in a forest just outside the village. Quickly, led by Obi-Wan and Cody, the group jumped out of their vehicles and ran towards the city, guns ready. They had to be cautious, but quick, for every moment lost would be opportune moments for the droids.

Sensing a disturbance in the Force, Obi-Wan yelled, "Take cover!" while igniting his lightsaber.

Turret fire tore through the forest, taking out a few clones in the process, as they took positions behind the trees. The clones fired back, but they were too far out of range to hit any of the droids.

The enemies had taken control of a bunker that had two sections facing the forest. Three droids in each section were firing upon them, halting their assault. If the clones got too close, they would be ripped apart, but that was a risk they were willing to take to complete their mission.

"Come on, then!" Cody exclaimed. "Let's go! Go, go, go!"

Obi-Wan charged towards the turrets, blocking most of the lasers with his Form III tactics. Since Soresu was the ultimate defense against blasters and lightsabers, he applied it furiously at this moment. Sadly, more droids were coming out of the outpost, taking out the clones that weren't so lucky. A couple of droids managed to fall, but unless the turrets were neutralized, the Republic forces would be sitting ducks.

"That bunker's going to be a problem, General," Cody informed as a fellow brother was killed.

"Leave the bunker to me," Obi-Wan responded. "Bring in your troopers on my signal!" He turned to Waxer and Boil. "You two wanted action. Follow me!"

"You heard him, Waxer," Boil stated as the two followed the General to the west of the forest. The three of them managed to take cover behind rocks that made very good shields against the turrets.

"Let's take them out!" the Jedi exclaimed. "Now!"

Waxer lobbed an EMP grenade, but the distance was too far for it to reach the droids.

"We've got to get closer to the wall!" Waxer stated.

"Try again," Obi-Wan replied. "I'll give you some help."

The clone launched another grenade, but Obi-Wan's telekinesis guided it directly to the target. Before the droids could stop it, the pulse deactivated them. Boil threw a grenade at the other side and, with Obi-Wan's help, managed to achieve the same results. In fact, the grenade knocked a droid down before deactivating them.

Seeing the turrets unusable, Cody shouted, "Ghost Company, let's move!"

With no turrets to defend them, the droids could not hold back the clones as they tore the robots apart with their blasters. In a matter of seconds, the first attack was over. Quite a few clones perished in the attack, but they still had a substantial force to invade the city with.

"The wall is secure, sir!" Cody announced, saluting. "Are we moving on to the guns?"

"We need to know what droids have in store for us," he answered. "Send your best men to scout ahead."

"Will do." Cody turned to the clones behind him. "Boil, Waxer, come with me! You two, Wooley."

"I guess we're the best," Waxer said, shrugging.

The four clones entered the city, eyes peeled for survivors and enemies.

"Buildings are just buildings," Cody said offhandedly. "What really makes a city are the inhabitants that live in it."

"So, where are they?" Boil asked.

Cody held up his fist, halting the three. "We'll check out the courtyard. You two take the south sector. Be back at command by 0620."

"Yes, sir," Boil replied, heading south.

Once they were a safe distance away, Waxer spoke his mind. "I tell you, Boil, this is creepy. You think they...killed all of them?"

"Well, they are no bodies," he responded. "They were driven from their homes."

"I don't think they had a-!"

A rustling sound drew their attention and causing them to bring up their weapons.

"Had a what?" Boil asked.

"Choice," Waxer replied.

The two continued forward, wondering if Wooley and Cody were having a better time than they were.

* * *

If there was one thing every clone hated more than anything, it was an army of droids, which was currently in Cody and Wooley's view at the moment. Several squads and next moved patrolled in front of them, blocking the two from the guns.

"Not gonna be easy getting to those guns, sir," Wooley said, slightly nervous.

"There is always a way, Wooley," Cody replied, looking through the binoculars.

He scanned the perimeter until he found another unwelcome sight:a large group of Twi'leks in a pit surrounded by droids.

"Wait, Twi'leks," the commander said as he witnessed a droid shoving one in the pit. "They're holding all the survivors hostage. We have to report this to General Kenobi."

Quickly and quietly, the two retreated, heading back to base.

Obi-Wan opened up a secure transmission for Mace as Cody gave his report.

"They're in the courtyard here and here." Cody indicated the points on the map. "But there's a complication: they've taken the locals hostage and they're using them as shields."

"The Twi'lek prisoners will make this difficult but not impossible," Obi-Wan said, frowning at the situation. "I still have a good plan for taking out those guns."

_"Getting the villagers out of harm's way is our first priority,_" Mace stated. "_I have faith in you, General Kenobi._"

"Cody, we'll go in with everything we have. Clear those hostages."

Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched by a probe droid, who was relaying all the information to TX-20.

"So, it's General Kenobi who is leading this assault," it observed. "He is known for his deceptive maneuvers."

The battle droid nodded. "Roger, roger. Download his file."

"Sir," another battle droid said, running up to the leader, "another squad is missing."

TX-20 shook his head. "This vigilante is grating on my nerves. He is getting bolder now. Position the cannons at every entrance. We do not want him to make a foolish attempt to free the hostages."

"Roger, roger."

* * *

Back at the south sector, Boil and Waxer weren't noticing any droids or Twi'leks, so it was almost time to head back to base. However, they heard the rustling again from inside a hut. Giving whoever it was no time to attack, the two charged into the house, ready to blast whatever came their way.

What they found instead was a female Twi'lek that looked no older than five. She was shying away from these clones, having no idea on what they would do with her.

Lowering his weapon, Boil said, "It's just a little girl."

"What are we gonna do with her?" Waxer asked.

Boil knew what was coming and decided to nip it in the bud. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Why do we have to do anything? We've got a mission to finish."

"We should do something," he shot back. "I say we take her with us."

He mentally facepalmed. "You can't be serious. She'll only slow us down." He glanced at the Twi'lek, causing her to crouch back in fear. "Look, she's afraid of us."

Hearing a familiar noise, Waxer said, "Not us. Quick, hide!"

A probe droid was scanning the area, but it didn't spot the clone troopers. Once it was done scanning, the droid moved on to another sector.

"That was a recon unit," Boil stated grimly. "We'd better get moving."

"We can't leave her here," Waxer protested.

Exasperated, Boil gave up arguing with his brother. "Fine, we'll take her."

As he knelt down, Waxer gave him a warning. "Be careful."

He chuckled at that statement. "Don't worry, Waxer. I don't think she's armed."

As he reached his hand towards her, the Twi'lek sunk her teeth directly into his finger, causing it to bleed. Boil recoiled as the girl crouched behind the rock again in fear.

"Little tail-head bit me!" he exclaimed angrily.

Waxer wisely intervened before he did something incredibly stupid. "Stop, you're scaring her. She probably thinks we're droids." Waxer put down his weapon, knelt down to her level, and removed his helmet. "It's all right. See? I'm flesh and blood, just like you."

The Twi'lek backed away when Waxer reached out his hand, but some of the fear disappeared from her eyes. He was making progress.

"She looks half starved," Boil noticed, taking out a ration bar. "Here."

He handed to Waxer, who, in turn, handed it to the girl. She hesitated, not knowing if this was a trick or not, but after sniffing it and giving the fact that she hadn't eaten in who knows how long, she snatched the ration bar and began to rapidly eat it. Boil decided to remove his helmet as well to reveal that he was, in fact, human.

At long last, she finally spoke, pointing at Boil. "Nerra." She, then, pointed at Waxer. "Nerra."

"No, I'm Waxer," he corrected slowly. "He's Boil."

"Nerra," the Twi'lek repeated. "Nerra."

"Oh, You made a friend," Boil said sarcastically as he put on his helmet. "Mission accomplished. Can we go now?"

"Come on, kid," Waxer offered, holding out his hand. "Come on."

Surprisingly, the little girl stayed where she was, munching on the ration bar.

"Look, she doesn't even want to go." Boil pointed out as he left the hut. "Little monster was fine before we came along, so let's _move._"

Seeing as how he was getting nowhere, Waxer, reluctantly, left the little Twi'lek behind. The girl, however, had other ideas and decided to follow the two in her version of sneaking. It consisted of every time the clones spotted her, she would dash behind a rock, feeling clever at how she "outwitted" the soldiers.

"I wonder what happened to her family," Waxer mused clearly not falling for it after spotting her for the fifth time.

"They're probably dead," Boil answered bluntly. "Hopefully, she'll survive this mess."

"So, what happens to her?" he asked. "I mean, after we leave."

"I don't know." Boil stopped dead in his tracks when he realized what Waxer was thinking. "Don't get any ideas. We're not taking her with us."

Waxer turned around to see if the Twi'lek was still following them, but was shocked find her not behind them. "She's gone."

"I'm sure the little biter will turn up," Boil assured, shaking his head.

The two around and recoiled when they found the Twi'lek girl standing directly in front of them.

"There you are!" Waxer chuckled, playfully bopping her nose.

"How'd she get in front of us?" Boil questioned, flabbergasted. _Since when can a miniature tail-head sneak up on bred-for-war clones? Somehow, Waxer is responsible for this._

"Nerra!" the Twi'lek exclaimed, pointing north. "Nerra!"

Before anyone could stop her, she started running in that direction, much to Waxer's horror.

"No, don't go that way!" he shouted. "That's where the recon droid went."

Boil stopped him with his hand. "Waxer, let her go."

"I'm not just going to let the droids get her," he shot back, giving chase.

Boil groaned, wondering when this day would end. "I'm just trying to keep you alive!" He followed Waxer while muttering, "I'll be damned if I know why."

For the next fifteen minutes, the two clones spent their time chasing down the girl, who had a habit of evading them. To frustrate them further, she played hide-and-seek now and then, ignoring Waxer's protests. Boil knew that if word got out to his fellow brothers, these two would be the laughing stock of Ghost Company right before a court-martial. At long last, the Twi'lek stopped in front of a house, giving the two clones enough time to catch up

"Hey, there you are," Waxer said, patting her head.

An aggravated Boil spoke his mind. "Good, you caught her. You know, I have binders if we need 'em."

Waxer glared at him.

"What?"

The girl pulled Waxer towards the house, her expressing turning from playful to sorrowful. The clone had a sinking feeling as to why her mood changed.

"What are we doing here, anyway?" Boil asked.

Waxer shushed him as they went inside the house.

What was once a home wouldn't even be considered liveable by homeless people standards. A good portion of the roof had been caved in, burying the furniture and the floor. Ugly, blue splotches indicated the someone bled here, but it wasn't her blood.

Their unasked question was answered in the form of a corpse buried under the debris. Judging by the physical attributes, it was a female Twi'lek who was gripping a blaster. There were no blaster marks on her, so the cause of death was being buried alive. Boil wisely shielded the corpse from the girls view.

"I guess this was her home," Waxer guessed, removing his helmet.

"And that Twi'lek was her mother," Boil added grimly, taking his helmet off as well. "Poor little thing. She lost it all."

Amidst the rubble, Waxer spotted a dusty, purple, plush toy that obviously belonged to the little girl. Brushing off the dust, he handed it to her. Clutching it to her chest, the Twi'lek started sobbing at her loss. The toy was all she had of her parents, and now, she was all alone.

Waxer shed a single tear, his heart breaking at her sorrow, and knelt down to her level again. "It's okay now. We're here to help."

Suddenly, the girl buried her face into his chest. Waxer hugged her back, stroking her head-tails to show that he cared.

"Don't cry, kid," Boil said, kneeling down as well. "We'll keep you safe. I promise."

The Twi'lek surprised them further by embracing him. Not sure what to do, Boil returned the hug and patted her head, clearly uncomfortable. Noticing the smirk Waxer had on his face, he warned, "Not a word to anyone."

* * *

TX-20 stared intently at the viewscreen, watching the clones. For the a long time now, they hadn't made a move ever since the four clones went on recon, but only two came back. The droid commander assumed that the two were still scouting somewhere else, but his plan to deal with the clones would finish those two off as well. The droid was getting increasingly irritated at how long these clones held their position, not doing anything. This was the definition of boredom.

"_The men set, Cody?_" Obi-Wan asked. "_What is it?_"

"_Waxer and Boil are not responding,"_ the commander answered. _"They never returned from scouting._"

"_That isn't like them,_" Obi-Wan noted. _"They may have run into some trouble._"

_Do something already, meatbags._ TX-20 thought angrily.

_"Sergeant, use the high-powered transmitter to see if you can reach Waxer and Boil,"_ Cody ordered.

_"Yes, sir!_" a clone replied.

_How riveting._ The droid thought sarcastically. _The clones have polished their guns approximately sixteen times, discussed events that have absolutely no bearing on the situation at hand, and now they are trying to contact two missing clones. I wonder what other "compelling" adventures they will embark on next._

"_Let's get the rest of the men moving,_" Obi-Wan stated. "_The others will catch up._"

_Finally._ "They are on the move!" TX-20 activated his comlink. "Sergeant, the attack is coming. Release the beasts! It is time to execute my plan."

_"Roger, roger,"_ the droid replied.

* * *

As the emotional situation died down, Waxer and Boil's comlinks began to beep rapidly.

"It's the commander!" Boil exclaimed nervously, standing up. "We're way overdue, Waxer. We're going to end up polishing R2 units!"

Waxer stopped him from answering the comms. "Wait! How do we explain all of this-her?"

"You're asking _me!?_"

Quickly, the two men retrieved their weapons and helmets while Waxer formulated a plan to get out of this situation.

"Maybe if we hurry back, we can tell them we ran into a little trouble."

"Oh, that's for sure," Boil agreed, talking about the girl.

"And our transmissions were jammed...by the droids."

He shrugged. "It's worth a try. But mark my words. This will end...badly."

The moment those words left his mouth, a couple of rocks fell down in the distance when there was no wind. Waxer and Boil quickly raised their blasters while the Twi'lek hid behind them.

"Gutkuur!" she exclaimed fearfully. "Gutkuur!"

Before Waxer could question what she meant, the answer arrived in the form of two, growling beasts that looked ready to make a meal out of them.

The orange creatures, apparently the gutkuurs, had reptilian and insectoid qualities: their two-legged gait was similar to that of a reptilian species, whereas their hard-shelled, spined carapace and sharp mandible heads seemed very insect-like. These two stood two meters tall, drooling at the view of a potential meal.

"I think I know why the kid never came back here," Boil stated, opening fire.

The lasers bounced off the creatures' hides as they charged.

"You see what happens when we don't follow order!?" Boil shouted, backing into the house.

"Let's get out of here," Waxer said, slamming the door just before the gutkuur rammed into it. Boil helped brace the door as the creature continued to bang its head against it.

"These suckers won't give up!" Boil exclaimed.

"You grab the gun and I'll hold 'em back," Waxer offered.

Boil quickly grabbed his carbine and fired it directly into the snout of the creature, causing it to halt its actions. While it wasn't a visible blow, the laser did manage to sting it. It wasn't long before the gutkuur continued ramming into the braced door.

The clones noticed out of the corner of their eyes the Twi'lek moving a rock that blocked a random tile. She lifted the tile to reveal a hidden passage big enough for the three of them, but too small for the gutkuurs to get through. The two abandoned the door as the second gutkuur burst through the window. Boil fired upon it as the Twi'lek entered into the tunnel. Waxer and Boil soon followed, barely escaping the jaws of death that was meant for them.

If they stuck around longer, they would have seen two strands of web snagging the carnivores, trapping. They would have heard laughter coming from a giant creature more fearsome than those gutkuurs and would have been horrified to see _her_ butcher them.

* * *

As Obi-Wan and Cody led Ghost Company through the city, the Jedi sensed a disturbance in the Force just as a horde of gutkuurs attacked. A clone unlucky enough to be in front became the first catch of the day for these creatures.

"They're not stopping!" a clone shouted as they opened fire. "Aim for their eyes!"

"Look out! Look out! Fall back!"

Obi-Wan Force-Pushed the horde back, giving time for the group to retreat, but that quick second of being ahead ended. The gutkuurs charged, more enraged, took down three more clones, the blasterfire barely slowing them down. Obi-Wan tried to figure out a way to get these creatures out of here before they took down all of Ghost Company when the answer came in the form of giant lasers from behind killing two of the gutkuurs.

The clones dropped their jaws while Obi-Wan staggered back in shock, witnessing a creature he had never seen before.

The creature was a twenty foot, female robot, her two hands turned into blasters. Her blue alloy reflected off the sun as she charged towards the gutkuurs. Her blue eyes were full of determination, a quality most praised during circumstances such as these.

The six remaining gutkuurs made a futile effort to charge her, but she responded by blasting the five of them. The last one was kicked clear across the city, falling to its embarrassing death. There was an awkward silence afterwards, the clones waiting to see if she would attack them and her wondering when someone was going to speak up.

"Well, hello there," Obi-Wan said with his usual charm. "This world is indeed full of surprises."

"I figured you could use my help," she replied with a smirk, her blasters changing into actual hands.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING!?" Cody yelled, complete astounded that such a robot existed.

"That _thing_ saved your life," she answered coldly, her eyes narrowing. What was with these clones?

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Obi-Wan added, deactivating his lightsaber. "She is not planning to do us any harm. Lower you weapons!"

The clones did as they were told.

"If I may ask, who are you?" the Jedi asked politely.

"My name is Arcee," she replied, grateful that the people leading these clones seemed to be able to get to the bottom of situations quickly. "As to any other questions about my identity, they'll have to wait. You have bigger problems." She dropped a broken probe droid directly in front of Cody and Obi-Wan. "You were being tracked."

"And how did you come to find us?" Cody questioned, suspicious.

"I was trying to rescue some Twi'leks before those sorry excuses for machines showed up when I heard you guys being attacked," Arcee answered. "I drove over here, blasted the machine that was recording your every move, and you know the rest."

"Well, I thank you very much for help, Milady," Obi-Wan stated with a smile. "My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi and this is Commander Cody."

She rolled her optics. "Just call me Arcee. Milady is not a label I would like to be branded with."

Before they could continue, a sewer grate started to move. The clones aimed their guns at it and Arcee prepared her weapons, but Obi-Wan intervened.

"Don't shoot!" he ordered.

The lid popped open to reveal Waxer and Boil at long last.

Cody approached them, clearly pissed off. "Waxer, Boil, where have you two slackers been!?"

"Sir, there is an explanation!" Boil replied.

"We got sidetracked," Waxer explained, indicating the grinning Twi'lek girl.

Obi-Wan smirked. "I think I see what sidetracked you." He knelt down. "Hello, little one."

It was then Boil and Waxer took notice to the giant robot and aimed their guns at her.

"General, clanker!" Boil shouted.

"Stand down!" Cody ordered. "She's not an enemy."

"Although, if you call me a clanker again, I just might become yours," she warned giving him a withering glare.

Boil kept his mouth shut.

"Who is she?" Waxer asked, awestruck.

"An ally named Arcee," Obi-Wan answered. "Questions about her will come later."

Waxer decided to explain to Cody how they arrived. "She led us through the tunnels. Knows her way around them pretty good, sir."

"_Loonala kwee jannweelo?_" Obi-Wan asked in the Twi'lek's language, pointing towards the courtyard.

She nodded. "_Ooh yana-yana. Wah nerra! Kumee nerra."_

"The girl can lead us through the tunnel to the prisoners," Obi-Wan translated. "Cody, we're going to need a diversion." The Jedi turned to Arcee. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to lend us a hand."

"I think I can fit that into my schedule," Arcee replied with a grin.

"With all due respect, sir," Cody interrupted, "but the clankers will see her coming from miles away. No offense."

Instantly, to their bewilderment, Arcee transformed into a two-wheeler that was far smaller than the robot form she was in. Now, she was about as tall as a speeder, but not as long.

"What about now?" she asked.

Boil voiced what everyone was thinking. "Okay, this is officially the strangest day of my life!"

* * *

Inside the cells that once housed the gutkuurs, a droid scrubbed the floor, clearly not having the time of its life.

"Yep, this is without a doubt the worst job in the droid army," it stated.

Two slashes of a lightsaber brought its attention to a Jedi holding a saber in one hand, a Twi'lek girl in the other, and two destroyed droids beneath his feet.

"And it just went into overtime," the battle droid groaned, resigned to its fate.

With the Force, Obi-Wan activated the cell doors, locking the unarmed droid inside. Ignoring its moans, he moved forward with Waxer and Boil bringing up the rear.

"_Bin-bin-koonena,_" she, who finally revealed her name to be Numa, explained, pointing ahead.

"I'll take care of this," Obi-Wan said, handing the girl to Waxer. "You keep her here."

He snuck up the stairs and spotted the Twi'lek prisoners surrounded by droids and the cannons. Once the coast was clear, Obi-Wan and the two clones hurried behind a statue that blocked the droids' view of them.

At the same time, Cody led Ghost Company and Arcee, who drove almost noiselessly, to the courtyard. The company separated into two groups, each one behind a rock. Two Armored Assault Tanks, or AATs were surrounded by two squads of battle droids and super battle droids, but Arcee could take them out easily with her blasters.

"Remember, we need you to take out the tanks and distract the cannons," Cody stated. "We'll handle the droids."

"Using me as bait on the first job, huh?" she questioned. "Well, I can be flexible."

When Cody spotted Obi-Wan and the clones in position, he stated, "There they are. Let's go!"

The clones moved out of their hiding places, opening fire upon the droids. Arcee transformed into her robot mode and destroyed the two tanks with well-aimed blaster shots. The explosions took out a good portion of the army.

"I like her, sir," a clone stated, impressed.

"Quiet, rookie," Cody shot back, taking out a super battle droid.

Obi-Wan emerged from his hiding place at cut down two droids. Waxer and Boil covered him by blasting the other battle droids that got too close. Quickly, the Jedi severed the bonds, saying, _"Wa-janeel. Wa-janeel!"_

The Twi'leks followed him into the caves, but the droids caught on.

"Uh, Commander," it stated. "We have a problem. The Jedi is freeing the prisoners."

Fuming, TX-20 retreated from the clone front and drove toward the courtyard.

Arcee had no time to take him out as she transformed back into her bipedal mode, dodging the cannon fire aimed directly at her. She drove across the wall, the cannons causing several avalanches that buried quite a few droids.

"Waxer, Boil, come with me!" Obi-Wan ordered, running towards the cannons.

"We're with you, sir!" Boil assured as the two followed him.

Getting tired of running, Arcee transformed yet again and took out one of the cannons and was about to destroy the others when Obi-Wan commandeered one of them. Boil and Waxer loaded a shell and the Jedi blasted the explosive ammo, causing two cannons two explode. Another shot took out the third cannon and Arcee finished off the fourth.

Unfortunately, TX-20 used its AAT to take out the cannon. The three men managed to escape, but the explosion knocked the clone out.

"You lose, General Kenobi," it said preparing to fire.

Arcee rolled her optics and blew up the tank, killing TX-20 instantly.

"Impressive," Obi-Wan complemented as she landed in front of him.

"He was annoying," she replied.

Up in the skies, the sight of the Republic cruisers made their day. The three of them landed just outside of Nabat, invoking a cheer from both the clones and the Twi'leks. Their saviors had finally arrived.

* * *

Obi-Wan met up with Mace, the latter talking first.

"Great job getting rid of those cannons," he stated. "I am pleasantly surprised that most of Ghost Company survived this mission."

"I had some help," Obi-Wan admitted, indicating the motorcycle.

"A primitive two-wheeler?" Mace questioned, eyebrows raising.

Arcee bristled at that. "Primitive!?"

The Jedi Master staggered back. "What is that?"

"Her name is Arcee," Obi-Wan introduced before he invoked the wrath of the Cybertronian. "She has been a valuable asset to the mission."

"Arcee..." Mace's voice trailed off, recalling a recent memory.

"You...know her?" he asked.

"The new kid had memories about an Arcee."

"You know Jack?" Arcee questioned rapidly. "Where is he? Is he all right?"

"Calm down!" Mace urged. "Jackson is fine. However, before you leave, I would like to request for your help in taking the capital and capturing Wat Tambor. The choice is up to you."

Arcee sighed. As much as she wanted to see Jack as soon as possible, she knew that the natives still needed help, and Optimus wouldn't abandon a planet in its time of need.

"Very well," she said reluctantly. "Afterwards, I need to see Jack."

Mace nodded. "Agreed."

Sadly, Waxer had to say goodbye to Numa. "See ya later, little one."

After brushing her head, he headed off to the LAAT.

"Hey, Numa," Boil said. "Stay out of trouble."

The girl embraced Boil one last time.

"Don't be afraid. We'll be back."

As Boil left. she reunited with her uncle, the only surviving member of her family.

"_Nerra!"_ Numa yelled. _"Gida! Nerra! Gida!_"

"Sir, what is that she keeps calling us?" Waxer asked.

"_Nerra,_ it means 'brother.'" Obi-Wan answered. "As for _Gida_, that was for you, Arcee."

"What does that mean?" she questioned.

"Warrior."

Given her bipedal form, no one could see her smile. _It's almost over, Jack._

**It's far from over, Arcee!**

**Review, vote, etc.**

**Hope the action scenes and Arcee's introduction was satisfactory.**

**Next chapter: Mace tries to retake the capital, but a certain arachnid that tends to make life a living hell puts a dent in his plans. **


	9. Chapter 8: The Predator Returns

**vampireharry the 2: Thank you.**

**Kris-dragon: They will run into Grievous at one point. I have plans for him.**

**Latinfenix101: I'll look into it.**

**The Prime Writer: Haven't gotten that far yet.**

**HiddenHero220: Way to go, indeed!**

* * *

Chapter 8: The Predator Returns

_This isn't good._ Arcee thought as the cannons buffeted the cliff's edge.

Mace Windu's plan to liberate the capital city of Lessu and capture Wat Tambor included he and his troops to travel across a cliffside path. With the All Terrain Tactical Enforcers, or AT-TEs, leading the way, it was, in retrospect, scaling the cliff slowly. To make matters worse, the droids were not keen on letting them pass. Seven AATs fired upon them and the cliff, hoping to destroy the giant machines or bring down the side of the cliff. The AT-TEs fired back, naturally, but the tanks were too far.

One of the blasts took out the leg of the leading AT-TE, causing it to collapse. The path was now officially blocked.

Mace Windu busted out of there as well as his clone troopers.

"Take cover!" he ordered, going to the front of the walker. Using the Force, he broke the glass to retrieve the unconscious gunner and took him too safety.

"We have stopped the enemy advance," a battle droid noted.

"Give me those!" the commander droid demanded, snatching the binoculars. "Good. Now, order our cannons to target their rear units. We'll box them in and blast them to pieces."

As the tanks were being buffeted by the AATs, Commander Ponds ran towards Mace to explain the situation.

"We're pinned down!" he exclaimed over the explosions.

"Commander, bring out the Lightning Squadron!" Mace ordered.

"I want Lightning up here now!" Ponds shouted in the comlink.

The hatch of an AT-TE opened up to reveal two All Terrain Recon Transports, or AT-RTs. These skinny walkers could move faster and, in the right hands, take the enemy by surprise. Three more of these walkers came out of other hatches and formed up near Mace's position. Since he assigned her to Lightning, Arcee, in bipedal form, joined them as well, excited to take out the tanks.

"Get the injured back!" Mace demanded. "I'm gonna clear the road."

Concentrating, he Force Pushed the fallen AT-TE off the cliff, enabling the heavy walkers to move forward again.

"Sir, the enemy is advancing again," the droid stated, handing him the binoculars.

"Let me see." If the commander droid could frown, it would.

Ponds ordered the clones that had finished scaling the cliff to get to cover as the tanks continued to give them hell. A well aimed blasted took out a heavy walker permanently as well as the clones inside. Mace gritted his teeth in frustration, but he wouldn't let those feelings get in the way of the objective.

"He's all yours, General," a clone said, dismounting the AT-RT.

Mace jumped inside the driver seat. "We'll lead the way, Commander."

The five walkers and Arcee charged towards the tanks, ready to take them out. Their speed gave them the edge they needed to dodge the cannons.

The commander droid started to get nervous. "Now the Jedi is leading the attack, but they have a two-wheeler with them. It must be a prototype of some kind!

"Since when is a two-wheeler being used in combat?" the battle droid asked.

"It has a nice color, though," it replied, but then got back to the task at hand. "Concentrate your fire on those walkers!"

"I'm going to draw their fire and take down a few of those tanks!" Arcee stated, zooming ahead.

"Arcee, stay in formation!" Mace exclaimed.

She ignored him, continuing with her plan.

_How is it that I end up with another reckless person?_ Mace wondered.

As she got closer, the tanks naturally targeted her, but she was faster than those cannons. Once she was upon them, Arcee jumped over the tanks in front, transformed in midair, and took out the two tanks that fired from the back of the group. With another accurate shot, a tank on a ridge soon exploded.

"Am I seeing things?" the commander asked, terrified.

The battle droid shook its head. "Nope. We're doomed."

The distraction Arcee provided gave the walkers the opportunity to catch up. Opening fire, they took out the two droids and blasted a tank to pieces. A clone tossed a grenade directly on the hatch of a tank, rendering it barely usable for spare parts. The final two tanks were taken out within a matter of seconds.

Mace approached Arcee with his natural stone-faced expression. "What were you thinking?"

Her response surprised him. "My armor can withstand these cannons, General. Your walkers can't. I drove ahead to not only take out a few of those tanks, but to give you guys the opportunity to destroy the rest of them with a less chance of losing anyone."

Mace paused for a moment, taking her words into consideration. "Very well. I hope you know your limitations."

"I do," Arcee replied, transforming back into her motorcycle form and wondering if the man had ever smiled in his life. _Probably not._

Mace turned to Ponds as the rest of the heavy walkers approached them. "How many men did we lose?"

"20, I think," the commander answered, "including command crews of two walkers. The good news is General Kenobi's broken their lines. We can clear a path straight to the capital now."

Amidst the wreckage, a probe droid watched their every move, transmitting the recording to the capital.

* * *

_"This battle was costly, but not as costly as it could have been,"_ the Jedi pointed out. _"We're going to need help to take the city."_

Wat Tambor's anxiety grew. "The Republic is advancing faster than I expected."

"I calculate they will reach the main gates by morning," Tactical droid TA-120 stated. "I recommend we prepare our retreat."

"I will _not_ retreat!" the Separatist retorted. "That Jedi does not have the troops to take this city."

"Their prototype does," it replied.

"What prototype?"

"Obviously, you have not heard," TA-120 said. "It seems that the Republic has developed a droid that can slice through our tanks like butter. TX-20's final accounts reported a gigantic droid tearing his army apart. That is why I recommend we retreat."

Tambor was too prideful to back down. "It doesn't matter if they have some prototype. Bring our units inside the walls and secure the bridge."

_Your funeral._ The droid thought.

* * *

(Ilum)

_I'm going to strangle the next person that tells me, "A Jedi feels no heat or cold," because that is FREAKING BULLCRAP!_

Ilum, to Jack's horror, turned out to be one, giant frozen land. On any other occasion, Jack would have killed to see snow, but when the cold turned his entire body into a walking icicle, the hot sauna of Jasper was looking pretty good at this moment. The blizzard winds bashed relentlessly into Jack, nearly forcing him back. Aayla had to walk slowly in case Jack's skinny build proved to be no match for this harsh weather.

After Jack had returned from the Ryloth mission and debriefed to Council, who commended him for his quick thinking, they deemed it the time for Jack to build his own lightsaber. Since the Jedi were big on tradition, Jack would have to get his lightsaber crystal from the Crystal Caves on Ilum.

According to Yoda, the Crystal Caves contained the crystals needed to build a lightsaber. However, the hazards contained in the caves could prove to be unsettling. A trained Jedi would be around, though, should something serious happen. Right now, the first hazard was being on the verge of freezing to death. Jack had yet to accomplish letting go of the cold.

Since the weather prevented ships from landing any closer, Jack and Aayla were forced to walk 2 miles in this godforsaken land of coldness.

Aayla tried to keep conversation to distract him from the cold. "This rite of passage is necessary, Jedi."

"COULDN'T THE PASSAGE BE ON A TROPICAL PLANET, OR WAS IT NOT IN THE BUDGET!?" Jack questioned over the harsh winds.

Slightly insulted, she retaliated with, "This is a sacred place to the Jedi Order!"

"I'M EXTREMELY HONORED!" he sarcastically shot back.

At long last, they approached the mountain cliff they were looking for.

"SO, THE CRYSTAL CAVES ARE IN THERE!?" Jack asked.

Aayla nodded. "Stretch out with the Force and open the entrance. Remember, size matters not."

Jack closed his eyes and reached out with the Force. At first, the cold managed to impair his senses, but as he began to let go of the worldly issues his body was facing, he felt the entrance. It was a puzzle, each frozen shard having a specific role to play. Jack always liked a good puzzle save for a Rubik's cube.

He smirked when an idea came to him.

Jack found the weakest point of the icy gate and broke it. Like a game of Timber, the entire gate came crashing down. Aayla had to use the Force in order to deflect the icy barrage.

"Are you out of your mind, Padawan!?" Aayla exclaimed, bewildered by his reckless display.

"It worked, didn't it?" he asked innocently.

Rolling her eyes and muttering about a miniature Skywalker, Aayla led Jack through the revealed entrance of the old Jedi Temple.

Inside, massive statues of Jedi flanked the two as they journeyed through the long-forgotten temple. Naturally, everything was crafted out of ice, but it was truly a beautiful sight. Up ahead, was another ice wall that covered the entrance to the Crystal Caves.

Jack was about to shatter the wall, but Aayla stopped him.

"Oh, yeah," he said. "Sacred ice cubes."

With the Force, she opened a window high above. The sun, like a spot light, impacted a structure that contained a giant crystal. Aayla revolved the mechanism around until the sunlight went through the crystal and impacted another crystal. Like a laser, the light pierced the wall, melting it to water and revealing the entrance.

_ That just screamed Indiana Jones._ Jack thought inwardly.

"You must go inside, Padawan," Aayla said, "Retrieve your crystal, but do not linger. As daylight falls, the ice wall will return and you will trapped inside."

Jack smirked again. "If that happens, I'll just shatter the ice wall."

_ So much for that part of the test._ Aayla thought before speaking again. "Trust in the Force to guide you. Beware: your eyes may deceive you. Do not always rely on your sight. The Force will never fail you. Now, go and may the Force be with you."

With a nod, Jack hurried inside the entrance.

* * *

(Ryloth)

Inside one of the AT-TEs, Mace was having a holographic conference with Chancellor Palpatine, Anakin Skywalker, Admiral Yularen, Master Yoda, and Senator Orn Free Taa, a Twi'lek.

_"What's your progress, Skywalker?"_ Palpatine asked.

_"My fighters have secured control of the space around Ryloth,"_ he answered with pride in his voice. "_We have the Separatist cruisers on the run._"

The chancellor smiled. "_Very good, General Skywalker._"

Anakin's hologram was replaced by a hologram of Ryloth.

"Master Kenobi has taken the Jixuan Desert," Mace informed, indicating south of the planet, "so the southern hemisphere is ours."

"_Then, it's almost over,_" the senator said with relief.

"Not yet," Mace warned as the planet was replaced with a cathedral-like building. "The key position is the capital of Lessu. Our spies are certain the Separatist leader, Wat Tambor, has his command center there."

"_When taken the city we have,_" Yoda pointed out, "_capture Tambor we must._"

"It's not going to be easy, Master," the Korun Jedi stated. "Tambor has chosen his stronghold well." He pointed to a bridge that closed the gap between the capital and the outskirts. "This plasma bridge is the only way in or out."

"_I'm afraid a siege could drag on indefinitely,_" Palpatine added grimly.

"_My people have suffered so much already,"_ Orn Free Taa protested.

"_A plan you have to take the bridge, Master Windu?_" Yoda questioned. "_Hmm?_"

Mace allowed a very small smile that could not be seen by their eyes. "Master Kenobi encountered someone who has decided to help us in our cause. In fact, this person is the reason Master Kenobi completed his mission and got us this far."

"_Who is he?_" Palpatine wondered, taken aback by that statement.

"_She_ is named Arcee," he answered. "She's...not from around here. She arrived here under similar circumstances that brought Jackson."

Yoda pondered that for a moment. "_Hmm, same galaxy she is from?"_ When Mace nodded, he continued. "_Meditate on this, I will. For now, the thanks of the Jedi, she has."_

"_Can you trust this mercenary?_" Palpatine questioned.

"She put herself in harm's way so we wouldn't lose as many troops," Mace replied. "Her intentions are clear. However, even with her aide, taking back the capital we still pose a problem-" Mace knew he would spark some negative reactions by this next statement. "-so I've decided to enlist the help of the Freedom Fighters, led by Cham Syndulla. His fight against the droids has made him of freedom for the people."

The chancellor frowned. "_Cham Syndulla was a radical before the war. He is very unpredictable."_

"_He can't be trusted!"_ the senator exclaimed angrily. "_I know Syndulla seeks to gain power. We were political rivals._"

Mace resisted the urge to snort at him. "I'll leave the politics to you, Senator. I'm going to do whatever I can to help these people."

Palpatine wasn't convinced. _"Perhaps we could send you Republic reinforcements instead._"

"_There are no reinforcements available, Chancellor,"_ Yularen admitted.

"We can't win without Syndulla's help," Mace informed firmly.

Outside, Arcee, back in her vehicle form, was conversing with Ponds.

"You really seemed to know what you were doing," he observed.

"I had a lot of training dealing with those types of situations," she replied. "It could have been worse."

"How?" Ponds asked.

"Where I come from, there are others like me, except they focus on domination of worlds and extermination of, quote, 'lesser species.' Let's just say that your fortunate that those guys haven't come through the portal. They make the tanks look small."

Ponds inwardly shivered at the thought of giant, mechanical beings that were the enemy. "Why did you come with us? You could be doing a lot of other things at the moment, so why stay with us?"

Arcee sighed. "My leader taught me that freedom is the right of all sentient beings and that we can't turn a blind eye towards people who need help. It is not only our duty to help those who are in need."

"He seems like a wise leader," Ponds stated.

"He seems that way, doesn't he?" she responded, still ticked off about what happened with Jack.

At this moment, Mace exited the heavy walker and approached the two. "Took some time, but I have been given permission to enlist Cham Syndulla's help. I need two members of Lightning Company to come with to find him and his Freedom Fighters. The rest of you need to seek out nearby villages for Twi'lek survivors."

"Yes, sir!" Ponds replied, saluting.

"I can contact Cham for you," Arcee said.

Mace stopped dead in his tracks. "How is it that you are able to contact him?"

"Voluntarily, before I joined up with General Kenobi, I was checking villages for survivors. Whenever I found some, I would call Cham to let him know of the Twi'leks. Instead of tracking him down, I can set up a rendezvous point."

Mace nodded in agreement while silently deciding to get the details later. "Very well. Although, there is something you need to know about him. About his feelings for the Republic."

"He's not a fan," Arcee interrupted. "I got that vibe when we first met." She paused for a moment to activated the comlink. "Arcee to Syndulla, do you copy?"

There was some static before Cham's voice came on with a...pleased tone. "_Arcee, how good to hear from you."_

"Likewise," she replied. "I wanted to deliver some good news to you."

"_Do tell._"

"The city of Nabat was liberated and the prisoners were freed."

He sighed with relief. "_Thank the gods. We are one step closer to freeing our world._"

"There's more," she added. "The Republic forces have finally arrived and General Mace Windu wanted to arrange a meeting so you two can collaborate."

As expected, Cham took on a bitter and sarcastic tone. _"How nice for the Republic to finally grace us with their presence. Am I to assume you've joined their forces?_"

"Temporarily," Arcee answered quickly before deciding to stop the argument before it escalated. "We all want the same thing: to free the Twi'leks and kick the droids out. Could you at least arrange a meeting?"

There was a heavy sigh on the other side. "_Very well. I will meet with General Windu. He can only bring two of his clones as his bodyguards. No more._"

"I'll come too so things won't get out of hand," Arcee offered.

"_Come to the flatlands of Cazne,_" Cham added. "_Perhaps there, he will see what the price that has been paid for our freedom so far. By the way, how goes your search for your friend?_"

"If things go according to plan, I'll be seeing him soon," she answered.

"_Good. Cham out._"

Once the transmission was over, Arcee asked, "Did you get all of that?"

"Yes," Mace answered as two clones from Lightning Company approached him. "I know where Cazne is." He jumped on a vacant AT-RT. "Let's move out."

The three walkers dashed forward with Arcee bringing up the rear. For a while, they were crossing a desert that seemed to last for miles, but at least they didn't run into any droids on the journey so far. Hours were passing and the sun was setting in the distance, the day about to end. Arcee hoped that Ryloth would be liberated soon not just because she wanted to see Jack again, but these Twi'leks had suffered long enough.

"We're here," Mace announced, dismounting the walker.

"Here" turned out to be a graveyard. 20 graves stood proudly on the edge of the cliff, overseeing the planet. The names and inscriptions could not be understood since they were in a different language, but the gist was evident: these Twi'leks died for their freedom. These patriots believed in their cause even when all hope was lost and they died believing in it.

"This is the spot where they were massacred," a clone, Stak, pointed out.

"Looks like it was a hell of a fight," the other clone, Razor, stated.

Mace knelt down, staring at some animal tracks. "These tracks are fresh. They can't be far from here."

"They're probably watching us as we speak," Arcee noted.

_WHISH!_

A strand of web snagged Arcee and slammed her up against the mountain wall. Instantly, Mace threw his lightsaber, severing the web. As she regained her balance, the femme transformed at pointed up towards the assailant as well as the clones.

Stuck to the wall was a purple, gigantic, spider robot with a grin that sent shivers down their spines. Her four legs were twice the size of Mace, each ending with a sharp blade that looked like it had been used recently. However, her current condition interested Arcee, for it looked like she had been attacked and not repaired recently.

"Airachnid!" Arcee snarled, turning her hands into blasters.

"Arcee," the Decepticon replied. "It's been a while."

"You know that clanker?" Razor asked.

"Long story," Arcee answered before glaring at the spider. "How in the Pit did you get here?"

"And what makes you think I'll tell you?" she shot back.

Airachnid would not dare tell the femme about the double-cross.

* * *

(One hour after Arcee's departure)

_Megatron was deeply impressed. The Autobot warrior had not only infiltrated the area, but she managed to kill every one of his Vehicons without them giving out a warning to him. She would have made a fine Decepticon, unlike the treacherous spider that currently "worked" for him._

_His most loyal officer, Soundwave, had revealed that when Megatron went to go work with Optimus during the temporary truce, Airachnid tried to arrange a mutiny and set herself up as the Decepticon leader. It was thanks to Soundwave beating the scrap out of her that she learned her place. While Starscream was dangerous, Airachnid was more so, given her cunning. There was no place on the Nemesis for a traitor, not anymore. Megatron had planned her punishment._

_Footsteps approached, signifying the approach of Soundwave. He was dragging an unconscious Airachnid, who seemed to have taken a beating. Megatron knew she wouldn't go down without a fight, so why trust Breakdown or Knock Out to take her down. She was far too quick for the both of them, but not Soundwave._

_"Bring her to the Space Bridge," he ordered._

_Soundwave complied by tossing her crumpled form directly in front of his commander._

_A groan indicated that Airachnid was waking up._

_"So good of you to join us, Airachnid," Megatron sneered._

_"What...are you doing?" she moaned._

_"Rewarding you for your attempted treason!" he shouted. "Did you really think that for one moment you could usurp me!?" He grabbed her head and pulled her up to his level. "Traitors shall no longer have any place upon my ship or in my army. I hereby relieve you of your duties with exile! Your injuries will five you slow painful death, my dear spider. Soundwave, activate the Space Bridge!"_

_Nodding, the silent mech pulled the lever, activating the portal._

_"Anything you have to say, Airachnid?" he questioned._

_She looked him dead in the eye and said in her deadliest voice, "I will kill you, Megatron. Your days are numbered. When I return, I will have your head!"_

_Deciding to get it over with, Megatron tossed her directly the portal. Her screams of pure fury ended once she vanished._

_"Destroy the Bridge!" he ordered once the vortex was deactivated. "We don't want the Autobots to get too curious now, would we?"_

* * *

(Present day)

"I don't know who you are," Mace started, pointing his lightsaber towards her, "but I ask you to leave us before you make things worse."

Airachnid laughed at that. "A human, asking me to leave? How cute. Tell that to those pitiful creatures I ran into."

Arcee's eyes widened in horror when she recognized the blood on her blade; _Twi'lek_ blood. "You killed them?"

"Are you so surprised, Arcee?" she asked. "The natives here aren't nearly as fun to play with as Jack is. By the way, how is your pet? I think I'll-"

Arcee finally had enough and opened fire upon the spider, who instantly jumped out of the way. The clones did the same, but their blaster fire did little to slow her. By firing upon the mountain, rocks came tumbling down towards the group, yet Mace used the Force to stop them from crushing his team. He tossed the rocks into Airachnid, causing he to stagger back.

"I see these humans have a few tricks," she spat, wiping the blue energon off her face.

"You talk to much," Arcee retorted, charging towards her.

Opening her hands, the spider opened fire at them. Arcee managed to dodge the blasts, but the clones and Windu had a little more difficult. Stak was forced to abandon his walker, the blast engulfing it in flames and the Jedi Force Jumped over a blasted that brought down a chunk of the cliff.

"How do we stop that thing?" Razor asked still opening fire.

"Try its eyes," Mace suggested. "I'm going in."

Arcee blocked the sharp-bladed legs with her arm-blades and kneed the Decepticon in the gut. Airachnid retaliated with a punch to the face, causing Arcee to crash into the wall. The femme rolled out of the way of the blade, and used her own to slash across Airachnid's face. A large scar now ran from her cheek to her chin oozing energon.

"Consider us even," Arcee stated with a smirk.

Roaring in rage, the spider spat acid at her foe, but she ducked at the way. Unfortunately, Airachnid managed to grab her leg and slam her on the ground. A strand of web managed to pin her down for a while.

Before she could finish her off, Mace lunged at the spider, severing off one of the blades. She cried out in pain as the lightsaber dug into her side.

"Surrender!" Mace ordered.

Growling, she fired her blaster shots which his dodged with his Force-Jumps. He landed on the side of the mountain and jumped towards her face, going in for the kill. However, Airachnid headbutted him, sending him smashing against the wall. Not wasting any time, she wrapped him in a web cocoon while knocking the lightsaber out of his grip. Yet again, she was interrupted by blaster fire from the clones. She spat some acid at Stak, who dissolved gruesomely while screaming in agony. What was left of him were pieces of armor and blood surround by the green acid. A blaster shot sent Razor off the cliff.

"You should really choose your friends more carefully," Airachnid warned, holding the cocoon that held Mace in her hand. "They usually end up dying on you."

She went to squeeze him to death, but her hand stopped moving. She tried to move her hand, but it was unable to. All of a sudden, the cocoon exploded, Mace bursting out of his prison. Landing on the ground, he stretched out with the Force, grabbing Airachnid. Now, her entire body couldn't move. He slammed her against the wall before turning her towards the cliff.

"You would be wise to not return," he warned coldly before blasting her off the ridge. Three hundred feet later, she found the bottom.

"Are you injured?" Mace asked, severing the web strands.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered. "Nice throw."

"Can someone help me up?" a familiar voice asked.

Mace an towards the edge to see none other than Razor hanging on for dear life. With the Force, he levitated him back to the surface. Down below, he noticed Airachnid digging underground, fleeing. He would be ready if she returned.

"Thank you," the clone said.

"She got away," Mace informed.

Arcee frowned. "Not good. She already killed some of the Twi'leks. They can't stop here."

What concerned Mace the most was that he couldn't sense her. He could not sense a looming, giant spider when he came to this place. Either he was losing his touch with the Force, or...it was impossible to sense her. He reached out into the Force and tried to sense Arcee, but, like Airachnid, he couldn't.

"General?" Razor asked, noticing his concerned look.

"We need to get to Cham before she does," Mace stated.

"Do not worry, Master Windu," a voice said, "for _we_ have found _you._"

A group of Twi'leks led by Cham himself climbed to the top of the cliff, riding strange, reptilian, two-legged mounts.

"I am sorry to have come late," Cham stated. "A few patrols of droids came by and we had to stop them. We saw what happened and we decided to come to you."

"We have much to discuss Cham," Mace replied, getting right to the point.

The Twi'lek nodded. "Yes, we do."

* * *

"_Your tactical droid has informed me of the pitiful job you have done protecting our investment on Ryloth,_" Dooku stated, crossing his arms.

Tambor glared at TA-120. "That droid exaggerates! I have not lost yet."

"_You are no match for Master Windu,_" the Sith lord pointed out. "_Do not become greedy, Emir Tambor. Take what valuables you have and destroy everything else."_

"Everything?" Tambor asked, widening his eyes.

A smile began to form on Dooku's face. "_We can put this defeat to political use. The charred ruins of Ryloth will demonstrate to the galaxy the cost of a Republic victory."_

"As you wish," Wat Tambor replied.

* * *

(Ilum)

___Miko would be so jealous right now. _He thought as he took a look around. Instead of a dank, dark, water-dripping, ominous cave, the caves were made of ice as well that seemed to have an unknown light source. Still, the cold could have been left out in the design. Clinging on to his hood tightly, Jack continued to follow the path until he saw a fork in the road. One led left, while the other continued forward.

_**Go right.**_

Jack paused for a moment. Was the Force speaking to him?

_** Go right.**_

Jack decided to trust in the Force, if that's what was speaking and go right.

For hours continued down this path until he came across a narrow bridge that was over a sheer drop to certain death.

"Isn't this usually the part in the story where something happens to the bridge, causing the poor soul to fall?" he asked himself. He shrugged. "I'll wing it."

Cautiously, Jack walked in single file on the bridge. He got rid of any notions of slippery ice as he walked. If he was plagued by fear, there would be no way he could cross over without freaking out. All of a sudden, he heard rumbling. Daring to look up, he noticed some ice starting to break off from the ceiling.

"Oh, crap!" Jack swore, making a run for it and not a moment to soon.

The ice came crashing down, breaking the ice bridge in the process. Jack made a daring jump to the other side, but could only grab the slippery ledge. Now, he began to panic.

"Master! Help!" he cried. "Master! Please!"

Jack tried to pull himself up, the slope was too slick. In fact, his hands started slipping.

"Someone help me!" were the last words he uttered before plunging down to his demise.

* * *

Aayla waited patiently outside for Jack. He had only been in there for four hours. Already the wall was halfway frozen. In a few more hours, the ice would completely encase the entrance once again.

Suddenly, her mind was barraged by images of Jack screaming for help. Without hesitation, she ran inside the cave, using the Force to quicken her pace. What took four hours only took one as she came upon the broken bridge.

"No!" Aayla exclaimed in horror. "Jack!"

There was no answer.

She reached out into the Force to find her Padawan, but could find nothing. Part of her wanted to jump off the ledge and find out answers, but the fall would surely break her leg. Sensing a path, she quickly ran down it. There was no way she was about to lose her first Padawan.

**To those who have read my first version will recognize the Ilum parts taken word for word from that story. It was too good a segment to leave out. However, the voice thing will be handled differently.**

**I hope Mace Windu fans enjoyed that altercation between him and Airachnid. I know I did. And thumbs up if everyone found the line that Samuel L. Jackson, the guy who played Windu, said in a very familiar film in this story.**

**I hope this chapter explained a few things.**

**Review, vote, etc.**

**Next chapter: Jack's fate is revealed and the Ryloth saga comes to a close in a battle of epicness.**


	10. Chapter 9: The Voice in the Dark

**ArkonWinfel: Whoops. Thanks for telling me. I'll make sure to correct that mistake in future chapters.**

**HiddenHero220: Hah hah! Glad you liked that part.**

**Guest 1: Good job for catching that and thank you.**

**vampireharry the 2: Thank you.**

**Guest 2: Here's your answer in the form of a chapter.**

Chapter 9: The Voice in the Dark

(Ryloth)

When Jack opened his eyes, two sensations penetrated him: pain and cold. The reason for the cold was blatantly obvious given the snow and ice that surrounded him. He remembered briefly how he fell from that great height that a normal person could not survive from, and yet, here he was, alive and freezing.

"Maybe I do have some luck on my side," he muttered, trying to stand.

He tried stretching out his left arm and yelled in pain when he attempted the feat. The teen examined his arm to see it bent out of shape. His arm was broken!

"I guess Wag Too was right," Jack said. "If these injuries keep up, I'll be dead very soon."

_**Way to look on the bright side, Jackson Darby.**_

Jack froze and looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of voice. "Who's there? Who said that?" He ignited his training lightsaber with his right. "If you mean to harm me, I won't go down without a fight."

The teen heard chuckling. _**Boy, do you really think I don't know a training lightsaber when I see one? Besides, your primary arm is broken, so I don't believe you will get far. I'll give you full marks for bravery, though.**_

Jack was getting more frustrated by the second. "Enough! I do not have time to play games. Who are you and what do you want?"

_**Some would say I am a puzzle, others would name me dead, and the rest will immediately assume that you are currently losing your mind. Then again, your mind has already been damaged enough, hasn't it?**_

Jack was liking the Mysterious Voice less and less and his anger rose. "What the hell do you want!?"

The deep voice took on an authoritative tone. _**Calm yourself, Padawan. I only seek to help you.**_

"By insulting me and talking in riddles?" he shot back. "How kind of you, O Mysterious Voice."

A sigh was sounded. _**Your extreme sarcasm is quite unfitting for a Jedi. But, you weren't raised by the Jedi Order. You were raised in a completely different galaxy, destined to be separated from this one forever. A stroke of luck, it was, when you were summoned here by the Force.**_

"It was a Space Bridge the brought me here," Jack corrected.

_**A **_**malfunctioning **_**Space Bridge. Did it ever occur to you why you not only survived but then ended up on a planet with a breathable atmosphere and on top of that, discover you had the ability to manipulate the Force?**_

Jack opened his mouth to respond, but the weight of the words crashed down upon him. All those things happened to him and he just assumed he got lucky. Sure, every once in a while, he would get a stroke of it, but not to that extent.

For the first time, Jack asked the question that he should have askeda long time ago. "Why am I here?"

_**That, my friend, is that right question!**_

* * *

(Ryloth)

Twilight was upon the group as they entered the hideout: underneath a wrecked C-9979 landing craft. Arcee remained outside along with a couple of Twi'leks to watch for danger; specifically, they were awaiting the arrival of the homicidal maniac of a Decepticon. If Arcee knew anything about that spider, it was that she would always come back. Although, Arcee couldn't detect any Energon on Ryloth, so it was possible that Airachnid's days were numbered.

Inside, Cham and his Freedom Fighters were escorting Mace and Razor through the base, every hallway covered by Twi'leks. The Jedi couldn't help but notice that many of the Twi'leks looked worn out, injured, and exhausted, yet they still were willing to stand guard. They had guts; he'll give them that.

"Some hideout you have," Mace observed.

"It has advantages," Cham replied.

They passed by cages that contained those creatures the Twi'leks used as transportation called blurrgs. Razor stopped at the first cage to examine the interesting creature.

"We saw the graves of many of your people in that battlefield as well," the Jedi stated. "Together, we can prevent that from happening again."

Cham stopped and turned to face him, anger on his face. "Do you know why we were massacred, Master Jedi? When the droids swept over Ryloth, the Republic was unable to help us. We were forced to surrender and we came here unarmed. The Separatists brought tanks to exterminate us."

"Come here, boy," Razor said to the blurrg. "Come on. Don't be afraid."

Curious, the blurrg moved its head closer to the clone's hand.

"See? There's nothing to be afraid of here."

The blurrg responded by snapping out his hand, making Razor recoil. Adding to the embarrassment was when the Twi'leks started to laugh.

"_Jigh-sen moof deng-ka,_" a purple-skinned Twi'lek chuckled.

"He says his blurrg may be ill-tempered," Cham translated, "but she is much faster than your riding machines."

Razor glared at the blurrg, ready to have a boxing match with it. "I don't know about that."

They continued to follow Cham until they reached the middle of the hideout.

Twi'leks of all ages roamed the area, many of them as dirty as the ground they walked upon. The room was barely lit by several lamps, making it hard to see, but they could deal with it. Food and medical supplies were running low, but they could survive for a little while longer.

Mace fought hard to keep his expression completely serious as he watched Cham lift a girl Twi'lek, probably his daughter, and swing her around. It was rather touching to see this warrior show a soft spot. To his astonishment, he couldn't help but smirk, yet he managed to remove it once Gobi approached Cham, holding his wounded arm.

"What is this, a scratch!?" the leader exclaimed, bewildered that the Twi'lek did not seek medical attention for it. "Gobi, get better. I need you."

Gobi bowed his head in respect. "_Rahn fanyo, Syndulla._"

Cham turned to Mace. "We have little food or drink, but it is our tradition to share what we do have with our guests."

* * *

Commander Ponds held back a yawn as the army marched towards the Twi'lek village. It was the closest one to the rendezvous point. He brought the whole army in the event the clankers populated the area as well. No use taking any chances with hostages in the playing field. When the scouts he sent to investigate the village returned with good news, he talked to his brothers.

"Our scouts reported in from the village up ahead," Ponds informed.

"The enemy's already pulled out, sir," a fellow clone announced. "Friendlies are all that's left, mostly women and children."

"See if we can spare some rations," the commander advised. "They'll be hungry."

The positive mood ended with one sentence: "Sir, enemy ships are entering our sector!"

Ponds muttered a curse under his breath as the fighters came his way. Explosions were sounded outside, shaking the ground as well as the AT-TE they were in. As quickly as they came, the fighters left.

"Damage report!" Ponds ordered.

"There's no tactical damage, sir," another clone stated. "It didn't hit us. They bombed the village!"

Horrified, the commander climbed out of the AT-TE and immediately wished he hadn't.

The entire village was burning to a crisp, the screams of women and children echoing throughout the city. He caught glimpses of Twi'leks that were burning to death, trying to find shelter, but their burns became the death of them!

"Get in there and help them!" Ponds ordered. "Bring back as many survivors as possible! And get me a secure link to General Windu now!"

* * *

The Twi'leks had strange ways to keep their minds off the war. Dancing was not uncommon among the species, but the way the Twi'leks moved was tribal and strange. Either way, Mace was bored to pieces, awaiting for Cham to make his decision. Still, he preferred boredom over warfare.

"I hope you don't mind," Cham said. "A little distraction goes far to ease the burden of the war on my men."

"You have provided well for your men," Mace observed, "all your people. So why won't you help me free them from this occupation?"

"I don't trust Senator Taa," he answered, "his plans for our world after the war."

"The Republic will help you rebuild," the Jedi assured. "We won't abandon you."

"Your troops will stay for security?" he questioned.

Mace knew where this was going. "For a while, to keep the peace."

"Another armed occupation is not a free Ryloth," Cham stated. "How long before I am fighting _you_, Master Jedi?"

Their conversation was interrupted by Mace's comlink beeping. He activated it to reveal a hologram of Commander Ponds, who seemed to have scorch marks on his armor. By his gestures, he had been ushering men to go someplace.

"What is it, Commander?" he asked.

"_The droids have started a firebombing campaign!_" Ponds answered as a clone in the background carried a small Twi'lek. "_Several villages in our sector have been destroyed, sir. We're trying to get many of Twi'leks out, but many of them are dead!_"

"Do whatever you can to help them, Commander," Mac urged.

"_Yes, sir!"_ he exclaimed, ending the transmission.

Cham was in a conflicting state. His people were dying by the Separatists at an increasing rate. It didn't help that every Twi'lek and the Jedi were currently looking at him to see what his decision would be. He made up his mind.

"Make the arrangements," Cham said in a defeated tone. "I will speak with Senator Taa."

* * *

(Ilum)

"You still have yet to reveal your identity, Mystery Guy," Jack stated as he walked away from his crash landing. "Care to tell me?"

_**The Force does not deem it the time for me to reveal it to you. I can tell you that I am a servant of the Force. No more, no less.**_

"Mind giving me straight answers?" he asked.

_**Only if you ask the right questions.**_

"Well, you haven't answered my first right question."

_**True. I cannot tell you everything, but I will tell you this: it is no coincidence that you have to this galaxy, Jackson Darby. The Force is strong in you. Stronger than you know.**_

"I'm starting to get that vibe," Jack noted, remembering the Council Chamber Incident. "What happened to me? If I can manipulate the Force, why couldn't I use it?"

_**Your galaxy is cut off from the Force. All lifeforms there would be considered lifeless when regarding the Force. You, however, seem to have unlocked your abilities when you arrived here. The details are too complicated to explain for now.**_

Jack shook his head. "I'm getting dizzy from all the unasked questions."

_**Good. Your need to answer these questions will help in the future.**_

"Well, it would be easier if you would just tell me."

_**Jack—**_It was the first time he used his shortened name. _**-you need to discover these answers on your own. The journey sometimes matters more than the destination. If I told you everything right now, you would not believe me. Before you ask how I know, the answer is that the Force knows you. I know you are only talking to me right now because you've got no one else to chat with, save for the ice cubes, and you think you are going insane.**_

Jack heaved a sigh before admitting the truth. "You're right. I _do_ think I am imagining this. I think you are nuts. And I most certainly think that you aren't real. Still, you make a good person to talk to."

_**Thanks. However, I accomplished what needed to be done. I do have one favor I request of you: search for The Catalyst when you get home. I think you will find it interesting.**_

"Now, why would I do that?"

_**What could you lose from this? Until our next meeting.**_

_"Jack."_

_ "Jack!"_

_ "JACK!"_

* * *

The teen's eyes shot open to see Aayla staring directly at him, concern etched all over her face.

"How nice to see you, Master," he said with a smirk. "How did you find me?"

"Your Force Signature led me to you," she answered, relieved that he was awake.

He noticed that his arm and his leg were in some sort of slings, revealing that they were broken. Jack felt very fortunate that Aayla managed to find him before he froze to death.

Jack looked at his surroundings to see that he wasn't on Ilum anymore. "I guess we've departed from the sacred ice cubes, huh?"

Aayla decided not to rebuke him, giving the state he was in. "Yes, we have. We have almost reached Coruscant. You started talking in your sleep and I tried to wake you. I didn't want you to cause another accident if you were having a nightmare."

The Padawan nodded in understanding. "Since I didn't get the crystal, I'll have to come back once my injuries are healed, right?"

She smiled. "Actually, you retrieved the crystal. You were holding it in your hand."

"Yippee," the teen replied as the room began to spin.

The last thing Jack thought of before he passed out again were the words, "The Catalyst."

* * *

(Ryloth; Underground)

_Humiliated_. The one word that summed up how Airachnid felt.

Betrayed by Megatron, exiled to a completely different world, damaged with little chance of recovery, and beaten by a human with mystical powers; it all started to really grate on her. Still, killing the tail-heads from other villages helped relieve some of her stress, but she knew that if she didn't find energon soon, her life would be forfeit.

She scoured the world when she first arrived, but found no signs of energon. All she found were those pathetic meatbags being oppressed by those laughable robots. It wasn't her concern about the troubles of the world, for she was busy searching for Arcee to exact her revenge upon that femme.

Airachnid clenched her fists, her rage building. If she was going to die, then she would make sure to cause as much suffering as possible before she was eliminated. Nothing else mattered!

* * *

(Twi'lek Base)

As the Twi'leks prepared to move out, Mace and Cham walked towards a private room where they would make contact with Orn Free Taa. In a matter of seconds, the obese Twi'lek appeared as a hologram.

"Senator Taa," Cham greeted with great disdain, "so glad you could join us from comfortable Coruscant. Our people have survived with only me."

Mace fought the urge to roll his eyes. Cham just had to strike a nerve the first chance he got.

Senator Taa didn't help matters; only escalated them. "_I knew you would try to turn this into a campaign to take power. Need I remind you that it is I who leads our people in the Senate?_"

"And it is _I_ who leads our people here and now!" the freedom fighter shot back.

The Jedi intervened before all chance of diplomacy fell apart. "There will be nothing left to lead if you two refuse to work together."

_"General Windu, do you copy!?_" Anakin's voice exclaimed on the comlink.

"I hear you, Skywalker," the Korun answered, hearing blasterfire in the background.

"_My fighters are taking out the bombers as fast as they can, Master Windu, but there are just too many! I doubt we can stop them all. I suggest you get the people away from the cities!"_

"You must destroy those bombers, Skywalker!" Windu urged. "Then meet me at the capital."

"_I'll do what I can,_" Anakin replied, signing off.

Mace turned to the two Twi'leks, who were both troubled by this information. It seemed that because of the transmission, Anakin _helped_ a diplomatic matter for a change.

"_What can the Separatists hope to gain from burning our homes?_" Senator Taa asked, grieving.

"Nothing," Cham answered, equally pained. "Wat Tambor spoils for others what he cannot possess."

"_Then we must act quickly._"

Mace decided to voice the problems that both these men were facing before they continued. "Senator, your people are hesitant to join us because they're worried there will be another military occupation."

Orn Free Taa nodded his head, understanding completely. "_The people have my promise that the clone army will leave once Ryloth is free of those droids!_"

"General," Mace continued, "what assurance can you give Senator Taa you will not try to assume power?"

"I only want to see my people free, Master Jedi," Cham assured. "I give my word. I believe in democracy."

"Then we are together in this," the Jedi stated.

Once the conversation ended, Cham stepped outside to make an announcement to his people.

"Men of Ryloth!" he shouted, getting their attention. "The time has come to free ourselves!"

The Twi'leks cheered, raising their hands in the air. With newfound courage, they were ready to take down the Separatists for good.

* * *

By daybreak, both the Twi'leks and the clones were moving out towards the capital of Lessu, ready to liberate it. Ponds had reunited with the group after rescuing the surviving Twi'leks from the bombed villages. They were escorted back to the hideout so they could safely recover. Arcee stayed in her two-wheeler form so that she wouldn't attract too much attention. Once the fighting started, she would be able to let loose without causing too much damage. Razor tested the theory on whether his walker was faster than the blurrg by racing the purple-skinned Twi'lek that made fun of him earlier, but the clone lost, much to his frustration.

Once they reached the top of the hill, Cham, Mace, and Arcee made sure to get all the facts before the battle began.

"Tambor is still in there," Mace noted, seeing his shuttle still in the capital.

"Is he wanted dead or alive?" Arcee asked.

"Alive," he answered in a tone that held no room for argument.

"How are we going to attack with my people so close?" Cham questioned, looking through the binoculars.

"Your people will never be in danger if our walkers can cross the bridge into the bridge," Mace assured. "Key is getting control of that bridge."

"I think I see your way in," Arcee noted, looking towards the left.

The two men spotted two Multi-Troop Transports, or MTTs, guarded by battle droids that were riding Single Trooper Aerial Platforms, or STAPs.

"My spies tell me those transports carry treasure," Cham stated, his rage increasing by every word. "It's not enough for the Separatists to enslave and murder us! They must rob us too!"

"You think we can use them to get across the bridge?" the Jedi asked.

"It is risky," the Twi'lek admitted. "They are usually scanned while crossing."

"Leave that to me. I'll gather a couple of troopers and we'll infiltrate the transports. Cham, once we get the bridge online, lead the armies inside. Arcee, keep an eye out for that spider. We don't want her to mess things up."

Arcee nodded. "Understood."

Mace and two clones, Razor and Spade, advanced towards the transports. Once they were in position, the Jedi contacted Cham for a reminder

"When I get control of the bridge, you must start the attack."

Mace jumped off the ledge and sliced the battle droid that brought up the rear. He leaped onto the transport as Razor and Spade jumped on. After cutting a hole in the top, the three men went inside. The Jedi waited for a moment, stretching out his senses, but no danger seemed to be on the horizon.

"Commander," Mace stated, activating his comlink. "I'll need you to create a diversion. Get the rest of Lightning Squadron ready."

"_Yes, sir,"_ Ponds replied.

Suddenly, the transport stopped as if snagged by something.

"What's going on!?" Spade exclaimed as the entire transport shook. "The hell's happening!?"

"NO!" Arcee shouted, driving towards the ledge.

Airachnid had ensnared the rear MTT, grinning like a cat that had just caught its prey.

Transforming, the Autobot opened fire upon her enemy, desperate to save her comrades. Sadly, she was too far away to land a blow on the deranged Decepticon.

"You're too late, Arcee," Airachnid cackled, lifting the transport into the air.

With a powerful throw, the armored MTT soared through the air and impacted directly into the capital building. Twi'leks ran for their lives as columns fell upon them. Many were crushed by the weight of the debris, yet some managed to escape the horrors. Not even the droids were spared as they, too, were destroyed.

Enraged, Arcee continued to charge at the spider, prepared to rip her head off her body. Deciding to distract her, Airachnid grabbed the other transport via the webs and launched it towards the Twi'leks and clone army. An unspoken choice was before the femme: Airachnid or the people?

"You're dead," Arcee promised, transforming back into a motorcycle and moving to intercept the MTT.

"Always a pleasure, Arcee," Airachnid sneered, moving on to the next phase of her plan.

"Open fire and fall back!" Ponds shouted.

The armies bombarded the tank with blasterfire while retreating. Arcee did the same from the other side until the entire MTT was destroyed. What remained of the transport crashed into the ground still burning.

"Everyone all right?" she asked.

"No casualties," Ponds answered.

Cham dropped his jaw as he looked through the binoculars. "That creature is attacking my people!"

Arcee was aghast at the site.

Airachnid had transformed into a helicopter and was currently firing upon the capital, killing everyone who was nearby and trying to level the building.

"Get to the bridge and stop her once your in range," Arcee commanded, transforming back into her motorcycle. "I'll offline her myself when I get chance."

Mace coughed out smoke as he and the two clones stumbled out of the wreckage. Right before the MTT had crashed, the Jedi had escaped through the hole he made and telekinetically pulled his comrades out. When Airachnid started attacking the capital, he knew that she would not stop unless she was killed.

"Get that bridge up," he ordered the clones while cutting down a nearby droid.

Nodding, Razor and Spade charged through the chaotic lines, occasionally taking out a clanker that happened to be in their way.

Concentrating, Mace grabbed the helicopter with the Force and attempted to push it away from the city, but an AAT decided to make a poor decision by attacking the Jedi. Mace was forced to dodge the attacks, but he Force-Pushed the tank off the cliff, ending that conflict.

Miraculously, Arcee jumped into the air and grabbed onto the helicopter, shooting the hull. Screaming in pain, Airachnid spun out of control and crashed directly into the plaza. The droids scattered, but many suffered destruction by the crash.

"What's the matter, Airachnid?" Arcee taunted, getting to her feet. "Afraid to face me?"

"How dare you!?" the Decepticon yelled, transforming into her badly injured robot form. "I will rip your spark out!"

Arcee's optics narrowed. "Funny. I was going to say the same thing."

The two femmes collided, not pulling a single punch. Arcee blocked the sharp knives from the legs and punched her dead in the face. Airachnid, energon leaking from various parts of her body, spat acid at her again. Thankfully, the Autobot rolled out of the way, but the shuttle nearby melted from the acid, destroying the shuttle, the treasure, and TA-175, who, at the time, was attempting to escape. Arcee was shot back by Airachnid's blasters, but she recovered and fired back. The spider jumped out the way and attempted to web her up, but the Autobot cut the webs down with her wrist blades.

Arcee decided to taunt her further, noticing her weak condition. "You're slowing down, Airachnid. No energon to feed on?"

"Shut up!" the Decepticon raged, engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the femme.

"Face it!" she shot back, blocking a slow punch. "You're weakening. It won't be long before you're dead!"

"Then I will take you with me!" Airachnid swore, tossing Arcee against the wall.

Mace cut down droid after droid, desperately trying to reach Tambor before he escaped. After deflecting a few bolts, the Jedi threw down a battle droid, ending its life. He looked to see a few destroyers rolling towards his position, but with a powerful Force-Push, the entire squad of droids broke down into pieces. A tank drove towards him, but a large door telekinetically fell upon it.

Up at the bridge control room, Razor and Spade entered inside, confronting four unarmed battle droids.

"Hey!" the leader exclaimed. "You're not authorized!"

"Save it!" Spade shot back as he and his fellow brother shot at them.

The four droids dropped dead as Razor activated the bridge.

"Bridge is up, sir," he announced.

All of a sudden, six battle droids entered the control room, but they were instantly destroyed by the clones. However, two commando droids entered the room and attacked them both. The commando droid tossed the body of a droid directly into Spade as the other one punched Razor in the gut. Giving him no time to retaliate, the commando jumped in the air and performed a spin kick, knocking the clone down to the floor. The first commando had Spade in a choke-hold, but Razor grabbed a blaster and shot the droid directly in the chest, freeing his brother. The other one dodged the blasterfire and kicked Razor in the head, removing the helmet in the process. A well-placed punch from Spade knocked the droid's head clean off.

"Well, that was different," Razor admitted as Spade helped him up. "Thanks."

Finally, the Twi'leks and the clones charged over the bridge, ready to aide their friends and take down the droids. The surviving civilians outside cheered them on as they entered the city. The remaining droids stood no chance as blasterfire ripped them apart, the blurrgs chewing them up, or a lightsaber cutting them down.

"You take these droids!" Mace shouted over the commotion to Cham. "I'll go find Wat Tambor!"

The referred Separatist watched in horror as everything fell apart around him. Not only did the Republic and the Twi'leks destroy his forces, but the fighting between the two, female robots caused the shuttle to be destroyed, along with TA-175. He attempted to retreat, but Mace arrived and cut down the super battle droids guarding him.

"Surrender!" the Jedi demanded, pointing the purple lightsaber at his neck.

Tambor decided to put his negotiation hat on. "General Windu, perhaps we can come to a compromise."

Mace would have none of it. "Not when I hold all the cards!"

Tambor looked to the skies dreadfully. "It appears a surrender is unnecessary. We will all perish for the glory of the Separatist Alliance."

Mace looked up to see four bombers making their way towards the capital, but they were instantly destroyed by Anakin and Ahsoka's starfighters.

_About time._ Mace thought to himself, keeping his lightsaber trained on Tambor.

"Anakin! Ahsoka!" he exclaimed in the comlink. "Take out the purple, four-legged robot, but leave the blue one alone!"

_"On it, Master,"_ Anakin replied at the same time Ahsoka said, "_Yes, Master. Whoa, that's an ugly droid!"_

"Arcee, get out of there!" the Jedi shouted.

Seeing the fighters, Arcee kicked Airachnid back and jumped to cover as the two starfighters blasted the Decepticon. First, her hands were destroyed, followed by her three remaining spider legs. Energon was pouring profusely out of wounds as she collapsed to the ground. She could no longer scream while the pain increased.

Once she finally fell face-down the two starfighters broke off, heading back to the fleet.

As the Twi'leks surrounded Wat Tambor, he went up to Cham and asked, "What are your terms for surrender?"

"They're unconditional," Cham answered.

"Agreed," the Separatist replied reluctantly.

Cham turned to Mace. "I thank you, Master Jedi. Today all of Ryloth thanks you."

"You've earned your freedom, General," he stated, "all of you."

A groan turned their attention towards the edge of the courtyard. Airachnid, despite her injuries, was attempting to crawl away, but Arcee stepped in front, anger bring her expression.

"It's over, Airachnid," she stated coldly.

Coughing out blood, Airachnid looked at Arcee in the optics and asked, "What now, Arcee? Are you planning to torture to very way I tortured your pathetic partners? I thought the Autobots showed mercy to their enemies."

Arcee paused for a moment to consider this. "You're right."

With a single blast from her blaster, Airachnid's head exploded, killing the Decepticon for good.

"You're welcome," the Autobot said to her lifeless body before looking towards the sky. "That was for you, Tailgate. Rest in peace."

She turned to others, many of them relieved that the Decepticon had finally perished. Naturally, Mace had the stone-faced expression he was famous for while Tambor looked at the Autobot with fear in his eyes.

"Even though you had no obligation to us," Cham started, approaching her, "Ryloth will thank you forever."

Arcee nodded. "It was an honor to save all of you."

Mace decided to speak. "I will uphold my promise to you. I will take you to Coruscant."

"What happens to the body?" Cham asked. "I would appreciate it being disposed of."

"Perhaps the technicians can handle it," Ponds suggested. "Armor like that could possibly help change the outcome of the war."

While the Jedi wasn't keen to the idea of defiling a corpse for science, enemy or not, but his commander had a point. "We'll take the body with us before we leave."

Cham turned to the Twi'leks and shouted, "WE ARE FREE!"

Those three words evicted a cheer from all of them. The Battle of Ryloth had officially ended!

**The Ryloth Arc is over. Hopefully, you guys enjoyed it.**

**I can see the people asking me, "Why did you kill off Airachnid?" In this story, I didn't exactly have a place for her except for this moment. I wanted her dead from the get-go, so...she's dead, and her body is donated to science. Besides, Airachnid was injured by Soundwave before entering Ryloth, for who knows how many days, she had to survive without energon, and she was even more injured after the skirmish from the previous chapter.**

**Also, why she attacked the city instead of the troops? She wanted to cause even more emotional pain to Arcee, killing those who couldn't defend themselves. That act was her undoing!**

**Review, vote, etc. I still take ideas!**

**Next chapter: Arcee and Jack finally reunite, but something happens.**


	11. Chapter 10: A Slight Delay

**HiddenHero220: Oh, he will. And she will be very surprised.**

**SpartanPrime101: Thanks. I'm glad you approve.**

**Kyuubi-Titan: Um, who's the Fallen One?**

**Dark demon619: I'm glad it was. I enjoyed it too.**

**Neo-Devil: Eventually.**

**Guest: Get ready to feel that way a lot, my friend.**

**NOTE: Anakin and Ahsoka got back to Coruscant a day before Mace Windu and Arcee did, so Mace and Arcee haven't arrived yet in this timeline.**

**NOTE: This isn't my best chapters. You have been warned. If you critique, please tell me how I can improve and I will. Enjoy**

* * *

Chapter 10: A Slight Delay

(Coruscant; Republic Executive Building)

After soaking in a bacta tank for a few hours, Jack decided to take it easy for a while per doctor's orders. One of wounds reopened and it was strongly advised that he didn't do anything stupid for a while.

This gave him the chance to build his lightsaber in peace and without stress. It took him two hours, but he assembled it very well. When the green blade shot out of the lightsaber, Jack understood what it meant for the weapon to be his life. He felt a distinct connection to the weapon and could summon it easier than other objects. He still intended to make spares when he had the chance, but that could wait.

He was given permission to take a look around the Republic Executive Building as long as he didn't provoke anyone no matter who it was and to not make any deals with any of the politicians. Right now, politicians couldn't be trusted during this time.

Of course, when Jack bumped into someone by mistake, it just happened to be the _Supreme Chancellor of the Republic._

"Chancellor!" the teen exclaimed, stumbling back. "I am so sorry! I should've watched where I was going."

The old man smiled warmly, waving off the security guards that approached them. "No trouble at all, son. I take it this is your first time in the Executive Building?"

Jack nodded. "Yes, Chancellor. I haven't been on Coruscant long and I wanted to get acclimated with my surroundings." _I need to reach out with the Force more to avoid these embarrassing situations._ "My name is Jackson Darby. I'm a new Padawan in the Jedi Order."

"Are you now?" the chancellor asked surprised. "I've been hearing rumors about a newcomer from a different galaxy. Are perhaps this newcomer?"

"Yes, sir," he answered. "I'm from a rather primitive galaxy, but I can't exactly explain as to how I got here."

Palpatine nodded, understanding. "Mystery has been a rather large part of the Jedi Order. Usually, reasons that are unexplained tend to lead right back to the Force."

Jack cleared his throat nervously. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Chancellor."

"Jackson, could you perhaps do me a favor?" the chancellor questioned holding out a datapad. "I meant to give this to Senator Padmé Amidala, but I've been caught up in a few matters. Would be so kind as to deliver it for me?"

After a beat, Jack took that datapad. "I can do that for you, Chancellor."

That seemed to brighten his day. "Thank you, Jackson. Her office is directly above the landing platform. It's difficult to miss."

"Thanks, Chancellor." Jack gave a curt bow before attending to the task. However, once the Chancellor was out of earshot and eyesight, he said to himself, "There's something about him that doesn't seem right."

He decided to shrug it off for a moment before attempting to locate the senator's office. He realized that it was difficult to find anything in this building, but after a few people were kind enough to give him directions, he finally found the office. He chalked up the "didn't feel right" feeling he had about Palpatine to the man starting to show his age mentally.

When he approached the door, he started hearing voices in the room. Curiosity got the better of him and he decided to eavesdrop. It was unbecoming for anyone, but he was starting to be a fan of top secret stuff.

"Hey, I'm supposed to be on a meditative retreat," the voice he recognized as Anakin's. "We should go away together. I know a place far from here where no one would recognize us. Yeah, it would be like we're actually husband and wife instead of Senator and Jedi."

_HUSBAND!? WIFE!?_ Jack mouthed completely shocked while bringing up his mental shields. _Arrogant Anakin Skywalker married?_ _I've gotta hear this!_

"I-I can't, Ani," a woman who Jack assumed was Padmé replied.

"What do you mean, you can't?" Anakin protested. "Oh, it's only two weeks. We'll be back before anyone even notices we're gone."

"I have to bring this bill before the Senate," she replied firmly. "It's important."

"Uh-huh." Anakin had a skeptical tone in his tone. "More important than the way you feel about me?"

_Oh, you did not just play that card, Skywalker._ Jack thought. _Even I wouldn't be dumb enough to do that._

Padmé sighed in frustration. "Not _more_ important, but important. The work I do-the work we both do is in service to the Republic, to protect those who would otherwise be powerless to protect themselves."

_Please come to Earth, Senator! We could use someone like you._

"Of course," he agreed, "but those are ideals. Isn't our love more important to you?"

"But I-"

"No. No 'but.' To me, there's nothing more important than the way I feel about you. Nothing."

_Why didn't you say that first?_

"Anakin, don't be so-"

"Oh, you don't believe me," Anakin interrupted, insulted.

That riled the woman up. "I didn't say I-"

"I'll prove it. Just watch. When I finished constructing my lightsaber, Obi-Wan said to me, 'Anakin, this weapon is your life.' This weapon _is_ my life."

_Wait, is he giving her his lightsaber?_ Jack wondered. _Okay, maybe he's not such an amateur at this._

"No, Anakin. I can't," Padmé protested. "A Jedi lightsaber is-" There was a pause. "Wow, it's heavier than I thought."

"It's yours," the Jedi assured. "Believe me now?"

Padmé scoffed. "If all you want to do is make fun of me, then you should just go."

"That's not what I want. Not at all."

By the couple minutes of silence after that, Jack guessed what they were doing and decided he heard enough. Listening in to their conversation was interesting. Listening in to their love in motion was perverted.

As expected, when he knocked on the door, he heard Padmé whisper, "You're not supposed to be here," before she shouted, "Come in!"

Jack entered inside and came face-to-face with a brunette in an exquisite purple and gold robe. For a senator, she dressed nice.

"Senator Amidala?" he asked, giving a curt bow.

"Can I help you?" she replied.

"My name is Jackson Darby, ma'am, and the chancellor wanted me to give you this datapad." He handed it to her. "Here you go."

Padmé took it with a warm smile. "Thank you, Padawan Darby."

Jack saw a shadow behind the desk and grinned before turning his expression into convincing horror. "Someone's behind your desk! Get back, Senator!" Oh, he was going to have fun with this.

"Jackson, wait!" Padmé urged.

"Fear not, Milady," he replied, igniting his lightsaber. "Show yourself, you filthy mongrel!"

"What did you call me?" Anakin asked, coming out of his hiding spot and giving Jack the evil eye.

"Horror" turned into "Surprise" as he deactivated his lightsaber. "Why, Master? What in the world are you doing hiding behind the Senator's desk?"

"Senator Amidala dropped something and I was picking it up for her," Anakin lied until he noticed the corners of Jack's mouth twitching upward. "Wait a minute. Is there something you want to say?"

Jack burst out laughing. "I heard everything. You should pick a better hiding spot next time, Master."

Anakin's eyes widened in horror. "You what!?"

"You heard us!?" Padmé exclaimed, terrified.

The teen held up his hand. "Relax. I won't tell a soul. Just know that if I decide to fall in love and get married, I don't want you to tell me that it's not okay, because you and I both know that love is just fine."

Anakin relaxed a little, but he stared intently at the teen, trying to sense if he was lying or not. "You swear you won't breathe a word of this to the Council?"

Jack nodded all kidding aside. "You have my word as a Jedi and a gentleman. By the way, congratulations."

"Um, thank you, Jackson," Padmé said, a little uncomfortable.

"Call me Jack," he requested.

Suddenly, the three of them heard voices approaching the office. Once again, Anakin hid behind the desk as Padmé hid the lightsaber behind her back.

"Follow my lead," Jack suggested as he took back the datapad. "Chancellor Palpatine wanted me to deliver this to you, Senator Amidala!"

The door opened to reveal a golden droid and another senator that Jack recognized as Bail Organa, the senator of Alderaan.

"I apologize for abruptness, Senator," Bail apologized as he stepped inside.

"Senator Organa," Padmé replied, "how good to see you."

Bail turned to face Jack. "Master Jedi."

"Padawan," Jack corrected giving a polite bow and placing the datapad on the desk. "Don't mind me, Senator. I was making a delivery for the chancellor."

The senator nodded before shifting his gaze towards Padmé. "Senator Philo has called a meeting in the lobby before we vote on the Enhanced Privacy Invasion Bill. We must hurry if we are to stop the vote. Coming, Senator Amidala?"

"Of course!" she answered, hiding the lightsaber in her shirt sleeves.

"I believe this is my cue to leave as well," Jack stated, following the senators out. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Senators."

"And you as well, Padawan Jackson," Padmé replied with a grateful smile.

As Jack moved along sighing with relief that they didn't get caught, his head started to hurt. In order to not make a scene, he rushed to the bathroom, relieved to find it vacant. He slumped to the ground, holding his head as the pain increased.

Images started flashing through Jack's mind, but they moved too quick. One scene, however, slowed down for him to examine. It was that burning house again, but this time, it showed himself crawling out of it, burns covering his body. Someone was chasing him, holding a gun. Before he could figure out what happened next, the pain receded and the images went away.

"What's happening to me?" Jack asked himself, panting.

* * *

Inside the lobby, Bail Organa was speaking to the senators that gathered there today.

"We cannot allow the chancellor to move this Enhanced Privacy Invasion Bill forward."

"We're all in agreement then," Senator Philo said.

Blaster shots were fired in the lobby, evicting screams from the senators.

A blue-skinned Duros wearing a good-looking hat entered the room with an IG-86 sentinel droid.

"Morning, Senators," the Duros said. "You should all consider yourselves to be in my power."

Behind the senators, another door opened to reveal a Weequay and another IG-86 sentinel droid both armed and dangerous.

"As long as everybody behaves, this will be quick and painless," the Duros assured.

The door to the left opened for a near-human female with a blaster pointed directly at the senators. The hostages were surrounded.

"Do nothing," the Duros warned, stepping towards them, "and it will all be over soon."

Philo marched up to the bounty hunter furiously. "I don't know who you think you are, but I, for one, have no intention of listening to this kind of insolence."

Rolling his eyes, the Duros shot Philo in the back without even looking at him.

"Anyone who wants to join him, please step up," the Duros stated. When no one followed Philo's attempt, the bounty hunter said, "All right then. If you'll all gather at the center of this lovely atrium my coworkers and I will relieve you of any communication devices."

"I see five of them here in the room," Padmé whispered. "If we-"

"What are you going to do?" Bail asked. "It's not like we carry weapons."

The Duros shot another laser into the air. "No talking!" He turned to the Weequay. "Patch me through to the Chancellor, Alama."

* * *

Once Jack stepped out of the bathroom after his episode, the lights flickered off and were replaced by red, emergency lights.

"What's going on?" he asked no one in particular.

He closed his eyes, stretching out with the Force to see if he could find the danger. After a minute, he felt a lot of emotions coming from one room: terror, anger, glee, caution, cockiness, and hatred. Something bad was happening. Jack's eyes widened in horror when he remembered that there was a meeting currently going on at the lobby.

Wasting no time, he rushed to the lobby, lightsaber in his hand. Jack opened his senses to check if there was anyone in the hallways, but he was fortunate to find no one. He used the emotions of whoever was in trouble as a map towards the lobby since he still didn't know his way around the Executive Building.

"When this is over," he muttered. "I'm buying a map of this place."

He stopped in the middle of his run and facepalmed. The comlink!

He took it out and said, "This is Jackson Darby. Does anyone copy?"

Static.

"This is Jackson Darby! Do you copy!"

Static.

Mentally cursing, he moved on. He guessed that something or someone was jamming the communications.

Once he reached the lobby, or wherever the emotions were the strongest, he crouched down and looked over the ledge.

A group of senators including Padmé and Bail were surrounded by an assortment of bounty hunters, all of which were armed and looked dangerous. Two of the bounty hunters were IG-86 droids, but it was the others that gave him chills.

The Duros he recognized as Cad Bane, one of the most feared bounty hunters throughout the galaxy. He remembered hearing about his reputation as a ruthless criminal. If anybody crossed him, they ended up dead, except the ones who were barely left alive so that they could spread his stories throughout the galaxy before they died.

He spotted Aurra Sing, the near-human that was once a Jedi. Now, she was a bounty hunter and would not hesitate to shoot a child if she wanted to. Her ruthlessness rivaled that of Bane's.

The Weequay he did not recognize, but he made a mental note not to underestimate him.

Currently, the bounty hunters were collecting various communication devices that the Senators had so that they couldn't call for help. Jack noticed that Padmé was looking the most nervous, given that she had Anakin's lightsaber. He hoped that the bounty hunters wouldn't find it, or she might get killed for possessing a weapon.

A felt a familiar presence nearby and turned to see Anakin watching the lobby as well. When both of them stared at each other, the started talking telepathically.

"_Five bounty hunters, three of which are heavy hitters,_" Jack observed. _"This isn't going to be easy._"

"_We have to drive them away from the hostages,_" Anakin stated. "_I'll try to lead to bounty hunters away and you get the senators out of here._"

"_You don't have a lightsaber!_" Jack shot back. "_You'll be putting yourself in a lot of risk."_

"Well, hello there, little lady," Bane said to Padmé. "And who might you be?"

"I am Padmé Amidala," she answered, "Senator from Naboo, and I demand that you release us immediately. The Galactic Senate will not treat with terrorists."

"Ain't you awful young and pretty to be a senator?" he asked, getting closer. "Perhaps I might take you with me when this is over. I could use the entertainment."

"_Anakin, don't!_" Jack warned when he sensed the Jedi Knight about to jump down and break the bounty hunter's neck.

Unfortunately, Bane had a feeling someone was watching and opened fire on Anakin's position. The Knight ran out of the lobby, barely dodging the lasers.

"Skywalker!? After him!" Bane ordered.

Alama and the IG-86 droid charged after the fleeing Jedi.

"Hello? Come in," Anakin said to the comlink. "Anyone there?"

Like Jack, he got nothing but static.

He rounded the corner and came face-to-face with Alama and the droid. He reached for his lightsaber only to remember he didn't have it. Swearing, he dodged a few blaster bolts before running off in the opposite direction. With his Force Speed, Anakin was able to take cover in one of the vacant rooms on the far end of the corridor.

As the two hunters checked the rooms, Anakin hot-wired a terminal and connected it to his comlink, bypassing the communications jammer.

"This is General Skywalker!" he announced. "Chancellor Palpatine, can you hear me?"

To his relief, the old man's voice came through. "_My dear boy, I'm glad to know you're there and all right._"

"What is going on down there?" Anakin asked urgently.

"_A group of bounty hunters have taken control of the East Wing and have a group of senators hostage. They sealed the entire building. Nobody can get in, and we cannot get out. It's up to you. You have to get to the power control room and turn off the security seal._"

Hearing footsteps approach the room, Anakin disconnected the transmission and hid behind the terminal just in the nick of time. Alama and IG-86 scanned the room looking for the Jedi, but Anakin used a mind trick on the Weequay.

"You have two more floors to check," Anakin stated, manipulating his mind.

"Come on," Alama stated. "We've got two more floors to check."

The two bounty hunters left the room as Anakin followed them, preparing his strategy. He noticed the Weequay go up the stairs and the droid go down. Picking his target, Anakin followed the droid as quietly as he could. Once they were out of earshot, Anakin attacked.

He tackled the droid down and punched it in the face, but it kicked him back. Anakin grabbed for the weapon, yet the droid pinned him against the wall. IG-86 knocked him across a table of vases, evicting a scratch on his head. Anakin punched the droid back and prepared to fire, only for the droid to twist the nozzle backwards, rendering the weapon useless. Realizing that time was running out, Anakin Force-Pushed IG-86 back and beat it to death with the broken weapon. Once the droid was destroyed, Anakin made a run for it as Alama came to investigate the commotion.

Alama studied to dead droid carefully and realized something. "No lightsaber cuts. Interesting."

* * *

Jack continued to watch, making sure that the bounty hunters weren't planning on killing any more of the hostages. He brought his mental shields up, so that Aurra couldn't detect him. Still, it was a bit boring watching the three hunters making sure that the senators wouldn't attempt to escape.

Finally, Alama returned with some news.

"What happened?" Bane demanded. "Where's the droid?"

"The droid's gone," the Weequay answered, "but there's good news: the Jedi is unarmed."

"What?"

"It doesn't look like he has his lightsaber."

Bane turned to Aurra. "Go. Bring him back to me."

_I need to help him._ Jack thought as he followed Alama and the near-human.

* * *

Anakin ran towards the control room just as a small, pink-skinned creature walked out, humming to himself. When he spotted the Jedi, he dashed back into the room, locking the door.

"Come on, open the door!" Anakin demanded. "I won't hurt you." _Much._

"Well, well. What have we here?" a voice asked.

Alama pointed the blaster at Anakin, but he ripped it out of his hands with the Force. The Weequay raised his hands in the air, but he smiled before ducking down. Aurra, who was right behind him, shot the blaster out of his hand with her rifle. Anakin prepared to fight for his life, but the door opened behind him and the small creature tasered him, knocking the Jedi out.

"Tie your little pet up," Aurra ordered. "We'll bring him to Bane."

Suddenly, a Force-Push sent her and the pink-skinned creature into the control room. With a wave of his hand, Jack shut at locked the door behind them.

"What's up?" he asked, pointing his lightsaber at Alama's neck.

Foolishly, the Weequay tried to make a grab for his fallen blaster, but Jack banged his head with the hilt of his lightsaber, knocking him out and just in time. Judging from the blaster bolts coming from inside the control room, Jack could tell that Aurra Sing was extremely pissed off. He ran in the opposite direction as the crazy woman gave chase, opening fire at him. He rounded the corner and waited for her to come around.

Once she did, he sliced the rifle in half only for her to knee him in the gut. She, then, twisted his arm back and knocked the lightsaber out of his hand.

"For a Jedi," Aurra said, slamming him against the wall, "you're not that bright."

Jack responded by elbowing her in the face. While she staggered back, the Padawan did a spin-kick that sent Aurra crashing against a table, breaking. However, she jumped back up and grabbed him by the neck. Lifting him up, she pinned him against the window.

"Say goodbye, Jedi," she sneered, ready to throw him out.

Jack grabbed her long hair and pulled it back. Aurra cried in pain as he Force-Pushed her back.

"I just can't keep the ladies from me," he gasped, massaging his neck.

To his surprise, Aurra launched a Force-Push that sent him flying out the window. He screams vanished in a couple of seconds.

"Stupid kid," she muttered, reaching for his lightsaber.

The ground was coming towards him quickly as he continued to fall. Jack had one chance to save his life and he took. He stretched out with the Force and called his lightsaber to his hand. At first, he didn't see anything, but then he saw a metal object coming towards him faster than he was falling. Grabbing the lightsaber, he ignited it and stabbed it directly into the wall of the Republic Executive Building...seven feet above the landing pad!

Jack chuckled, terrified as he dropped to the ground. It was thanks to his abilities that kept him from fainting. Now, he had a problem: how was he going to help them now?

His answer came when he spotted Senator Free Taa walking with an IG-86 droid ushering him towards a speeder. Jack wanted to save the senator, but the logical part of him held him back. If the bounty hunters went through all this trouble to do this, they must have a fatal back-up plan if things went wrong. He noticed two commandos that were patrolling the area not doing a single thing to stop the two from leaving, giving Jack the notion that they were paid off.

As the speeder left, the teen pulled out the comlink only to find it destroyed.

_It must have been destroyed during the fight._ He thought as he tossed it aside. _Now what?_

* * *

Aurra Sing was not a happy camper. She was dragging Anakin Skywalker's unconscious form to the lobby alone since Robonino, the pink-skinned alien couldn't lift up more than his head. When she found that Alama was knocked out by a Padawan, she shot the Weequay, feeling that he had no reason to live if he was going to be knocked around by a kid. The Republic was going to get a nasty surprise in the control room once everything settled down.

"Where's Alama?" Bane demanded.

"Dead," she answered, dropping Anakin's body. "Another Jedi. I threw him out the window, but there's a chance he survived."

"No matter," Bane replied, kneeling down to Anakin's form. "Young Skywalker. Not so impressive without your lightsaber, are you, Jedi?" He grabbed his body and tossed it into the middle of the room before opening up a comm channel. "3D, are we on schedule?"

_"Arriving at the prison now,_" the droid answered.

"Good," he replied, turning off the channel. "Go and get the...parting gifts."

Opening the sack on Robonino's back, Aurra took out a few control panels and placed them on the wall. Robonino did the same until every column was covered in them. Bane decided to give the chancellor another call to deliver the "good news."

"Well, Mr. Chancellor, thanks to your calm leadership, the crisis is passed. I got what I want, so I'll return your Senate and your senators. Enjoy them, but don't try anything until the sun has set. Understand?"

"_Clearly,"_ the old man replied in an icy tone.

Bane turned to his fellow bounty hunters. "We need to get to the landing platform. Is everything ready?"

"Yep," Robonino answered.

"Turn on the field," he ordered. "If you so much as breathe on one of these lasers, the whole room will blow up."

The control panels activated into crisscrossing lasers that surrounded the Senators and Anakin.

"Senators, Jedi, I bid you all the most respectful farewell," Bane announced. "Let's go."

Once the group of bounty hunters exited the building, two gunships landed in front of them. Clone troopers piled out, led by Commander Fox, aiming their blasters at the three of them. His two droids that were disguised as commandos were lying dead on the landing pad.

Now, Palpatine contacted Bane. "_You were foolish to think you could get away with this, bounty hunter. Now lay down your arms and come quietly."_

Bane shook his head, annoyed. "No, Chancellor. I'm afraid it is you who have been foolish with your Senators' lives. One false move and the East Wing of the Senate Building goes up in smoke."

After a pause, the chancellor gave a defeated sigh. "_You win, bounty hunter._"

Bane ended the transmission and turned to the clones. "Holster them!"

"Stand down," Fox ordered.

To show how serious he was, Bane kept his finger near the button where he could detonate the bombs. His ride showed up in the form of an airspeeder. Attached to it was a Comfort Ride Passenger Airspeeder that held what Cad Bane wanted: Ziro the Hutt.

The bounty hunters piled into the speeder and took off from the Executive Building, finally free from the Republic troops.

"Well, Hutt, it doesn't look like prison had too adverse an effect on you," Bane observed.

"Oh, you can't imagine the unspeakable things I've suffered, the horror," the Hutt complained in his nasally voice. "I doubt I'll ever really recover."

"How about some dead Senators as payback?" Bane suggested, activating the detonators.

"Congratulations on a job well done, bounty hunter," Ziro complemented with glee.

The Duros gave him a glare. "Time to pay up, Hutt. I don't work for free."

That wiped the smile off the Hutt's face.

Bane was about to join the other two in the airspeeder when he spotted a speeder zooming directly at them.

"They don't give up, do they?" he muttered, opening fire at the speeder.

To his shock, the lasers were deflected by a green lightsaber.

"Get us out of here now!" he ordered the IG-86 droid that was driving the speeder.

"Are we being chased?" Ziro asked. "I'm not overly fond of high-speed chases."

"Can it, Hutt, or I'll dump your body so that the authorities can have you," the Duros threatened, losing his patience. _All right, little Jedi. You want to play games? Let's play._

* * *

Jack swerved the speeder around to dodge some more blaster bolts as the bounty hunters attempted to get away. He knew that now that their leverage was gone, nothing would stop the Republic forces from going after them. The teen decided to increase that chance by being a nuisance to these guys. All he had to do was stall for time and hope that they didn't decided to swerve into traffic.

"Dammit!" he swore when he realized the driver did just that.

Jack followed them, dodging speeders and pedestrians who were cursing at him with languages he never even heard before.

Thanks to Arcee, Jack knew how to operate a motorcycle well. It turned out the speeder had relatively the same principles save for the fact that he was flying through the air and the risks were increasing by every moment he spent using the speeder. Well, at least he could dodge bullets and vehicles well.

Jack swerved out of traffic and zoomed up next to the bounty hunters. Given that they had rather large luggage, catching up to them wouldn't be that hard.

"Wanna give up?" the teen asked. "Just say the word."

"Go kriff yourself!" Bane shouted, shooting the engines.

Making a split-second decision, Jack leaped out of his fallen speeder and landed directly into the vehicle's vacant passenger seat.

Catching the bounty hunters off-guard, Jack punched Bane in the face and kicked Aurra back before she could fire a shot off from his blaster pistols. Robonino attempted to taser him, but he knocked the weapon out of the vehicle. Recovering, Bane put Jack in a headlock, choking him.

"You're getting on my nerves, boy," the Duros stated.

"Good!" Jack shot back, launching a small Force Push that sent Bane against the side of the vehicle.

Aurra fired her pistols, but Jack moved out of the way. A stray shot hit the cowering Robonino, killing him. The teen reached for his lightsaber to end this, but Bane punched him in the jaw, rattling his teeth. The Duros threw him out of the speeder, yet Jack managed to grab onto the side of the vehicle.

"Scrape him off!" Bane ordered, firing at the teen.

The droid drove towards the side of a building, but Jack Force-Pushed the speeder back, avoiding the windows. He crawled under the speeder and ignited his lightsaber, slashing wildly at the engines. Losing control, the speeder plummeted towards the ground with smoke coming out from the underside. Once they were close to the bottom, Jack let go, hitting the pavement a little harder than he wanted. The speeder however crashed directly into a wall! The force of the head-on collision destroyed the driver, but managed to knock out both Bane and Aurra, albeit with wounds that would need to be treated.

"I need to get out of here!" Ziro exclaimed, trying to get away.

Jack aimed his lightsaber at the Hutt's neck. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I can make a deal with you," the Hutt offered. "2 million credits if you let me go."

He shook his head. "Nah! You're going to prison where you belong, slug."

Ziro's eyes widened in fury. "Slug!? How dare you call me, Ziro the Hutt, a slug!?"

Miraculously, the police force showed up, surrounding the wreck and lit the two of them with spotlights.

"Get those lights out of my face!" Ziro ordered, shielding his eyes. "You know how much it hurts my eyes!"

"Do you ever shut up?" Jack asked, contemplating killing the slug.

"Jack!" a familiar voice shouted.

He looked to see Aayla running towards him with worry and a I'm-going-to-give-you-the-lecture-of-a-lifetime expression.

"What happened?" she asked, crossing her arms. She was not happy.

Jack gulped. "I can explain."

**Okay, the reunion doesn't happen in this chapter. Sorry. Couldn't figure out how to do it right. Next chapter for sure there will be one.**

**Review, vote, etc, and go see Winter Soldier! It's epic!**

**I'm not entirely thrilled with this chapter, but I wanted to show just how reckless Jack could be if he wanted to.**

**Oh, and the reason why Jack discovered the marriage between Anakin and Padmé was because Skywalker chose the complete worst time to drop in on his wife. In the future, Anakin should be more careful.**

**Next chapter: The actual reunion.**


	12. Chapter 11: The Actual Reunion

**There is a force, a disease, that seeks to destroy storywriters everywhere. It doesn't matter how old you are or how good your writing skills are. The disease will come to destroy the minds until we are forced to succumb to it, or we barely manage to defeat it. That disease is...WRITER'S BLOCK! (cue scary music) Luckily, I have a lot of friends online who can help me. Time to answer reviews!**

**PrimusPrime: Until recently, neither did I.**

**HiddenHero220: You shall not be disappointed.**

**JapanRules555: Thanks for your comments. Sadly, I am not as skilled that writer you mentioned, though I hope that you still like this story.**

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**Mazamba: Still not sure if I'm going to do that again.**

**The Prime Writer: Thanks for your support. Can't to see what you bring to the table next.**

**H: Thank you.**

**Latinfenix101: Probably not the virus, but I will think about the crystals. **

**Kris-dragon: Well, I did my job if you didn't see that coming. Although, what Jack did was Anakin's recklessness. You know, the kind that gets people killed. See Attack of the Clones Speeder Chase for more details.**

**Guest: Thanks. **

**EgyLynx: Sorry, I didn't understand your comment.**

**vampireharry the 2: Wait no longer.**

**redgargoyle72: Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't have any plans for a V3. Sorry. **

**Anyways, on with the chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 11: The Actual Reunion

Standing in the middle of the Council Chambers, Jack wanted nothing more than to hide himself from the Council's presence. Each and every one of them had the same look on their faces that the teen knew all too well: disappointment. He saw that look from his dad every time he remembered the man, he saw that look from Arcee when he raced illegally, he saw that look from his mom when she thought Jack was lying to her, and now, that look was directed from everyone including Aayla, who was standing behind him. Fortunately, Mace hadn't returned yet from Ryloth, so that alleviated some of his anxiety, but not by much.

The list of charges he received from Commander Fox were as followed: stealing a speeder, reckless driving, risking the safety and lives of fellow drivers, vigilantism, and the destruction of two speeders and city property. While it was because of Jack that the bounty hunters were arrested and Ziro the Hutt was incarcerated again, how he went about was something that Anakin Skywalker would probably believe to be suicidal. The commander wanted to arrest Jack, but Aayla insisted that the Jedi Council take matters into their own hands to deal with this situation.

"What were you thinking?" Shaak Ti questioned with her arms crossed.

Jack sighed before answering. "I didn't want them to get away."

"Put lives at risk, you did," Yoda pointed out gravely. "Very fortunate you were that no one perished."

"That wasn't my intention," Jack stated.

Kit Fisto shook his head. "Whether or not you intended for this to happen, the fact remains that you could have gotten others killed as well as yourself."

Jack bowed his head. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to help."

Some of the Council members softened their hardened features a bit, but the rest remained emotionless and stern. Fortunately, Yoda was part of the former.

"Hmm," he said, stroking his chin in thought. "What feel you when go after them you did?"

"Determination," Jack answered, "wanting to do what's right, and..." He hesitated for a moment, but it wouldn't do any good to lie to the powerful Jedi. "...anger."

The Council glanced at each other before motioning the teen to continue.

"When Cad Bane shot Senator Philo in the back, I was angry. When Aurra Sing tossed me out of the window, I was angry. When they were trying to escape justice, I was angry." _Okay, that was corny._ "I cannot help but to have that feeling, Masters. I did not allow it to blind me to mindless rage, but neither did I ignore it. I accept that as part of my character and identity, Masters. I know anger leads to the Dark Side, but I can't fight how I feel. I can only choose what to do when negative emotions come around."

The Council members considered the words that were spoken to them. Aayla Secura was right; he _was_ more mature than most people his age and he had wisdom as well as humility. While he needed to fine-tune some of his weaknesses, Jack had the makings of a fine Jedi.

Jack was wondering about something, though, so he decided to speak out. "If I may ask, did the bounty hunters and Ziro get to their cells?"

Plo Koon nodded. "Yes, although you should be warned that when Sing and Bane regained consciousness, they swore to kill you the first chance they got."

"Cheery," the teen replied in a deadpan tone. "I'll send them some flowers as a token of my gratitude."

He got a couple of chuckles out of that, but they were gone in an instant.

"Anything to say on the matter, Master Secura?" Shaak Ti asked.

"No, Master Ti," the Twi'lek answered, but she gave a look to Jack that said otherwise.

Jack made sure not to let his feelings betray him, but he knew deep down that this matter wasn't over.

"More training, you require," Yoda advised. "Know the limits of your abilities you must and be mindful of your surroundings the next time."

"Yes, Master Yoda," Jack responded. "I will do my best when such a situation arises again."

"You are dismissed," Plo Koon stated, "and may the Force be with you."

After bowing, the two left the chambers.

Before Jack could stop himself, he asked Aayla the question that was on his mind. "Did I disappoint you, Master?"

The Twi'lek sighed. "I believe that the fault lies with me for your lack of training, Jack. I have been called away on missions while you have stayed here on Coruscant."

Now the teen got it. The disappointment vibe he got from Aayla wasn't necessarily directed at him; it was directed at herself. She wasn't a bad teacher, but she wasn't around often to properly progress Jack.

"Well, if you want to put blame somewhere, blame the war," Jack suggested.

She smiled, but only briefly. "Until I am called away again, I will continue your training. Perhaps when I am on a mission, the Council will permit me to take you."

Aayla would have continued, but their comlinks beeped. Both of them activated them to reveal a small, holographic Mace Windu.

"Master Windu!" the two greeted.

"_Master Secura, Jackson, we have just returned from Ryloth,"_ Mace stated._ "If you will come to the hangar, someone wants to see Jackson."_

Before they could inquire who, the transmission ended.

Jack cocked an eyebrow. "Who would want to see me?"

* * *

"Can this bucket of bolts move any faster!?" Arcee exclaimed, getting more inpatient by the second.

"No," Mace answered flatly.

The femme wanted to see what Jack had become while she was away. According to the Jedi and a few of the clones, her partner was traveling the path of the warrior. While she did not doubt Jack's courage or cleverness, Arcee just couldn't see that skinny sixteen-year old training to fight. Still, she had underestimated him before, given what he did to Airachnid during that first meeting. She could be underestimating him again.

Suddenly, the comlink on Mace's wrist started blinking. He activated to reveal Palpatine, who looked a little worse for wear.

"Chancellor, are you all right?" Mace asked, concerned.

"_Physically, yes, Master Windu,_" the chancellor answered. "_I meant to contact you sooner. There's been an incident at the Republic Executive Building. A group of bounty hunters took some senators hostage including Knight Skywalker._"

"What!?" he exclaimed, showing the first signs of worry.

Palpatine raised his hand. "_Rest assured, the situation is resolved. In fact, we have Anakin to thank for saving the hostages and Padawan Jackson Darby for apprehending the bounty hunter and Ziro._"

If Windu thought that he couldn't get more surprised, he thought wrong. "Jackson apprehended the bounty hunters?"

A smile appeared on the old man's face. "_Oh, yes. He was quite resourceful for a Padawan. If you could give them my thanks, I would appreciate it. Given the circumstances, I believe that the meeting should be postponed for now._"

"Given the circumstances, of course," Mace agreed. "I will pass on your message, Chancellor. Than you for informing me of this."

"_Thank _you_, my friend,_" he replied before ending the transmission.

Arcee, however, was shocked, to say the least. "_Jack_ apprehended bounty hunters? How did he do that?"

Mace didn't answer, for he was deep in thought. Ever sense Jack arrived, strange things have been occurring that have been related to him. First, it his arrival from another galaxy. Then, he not only destroyed the bioweapon on Maridun but also captured the Separatist who used it. Following that, he destroyed one of the Council chambers due to his fractured mind. After that, he came up with a strategy that ultimately got the fleet through the blockade over Ryloth. Now, he apprehended bounty hunters and a crime lord. Mace expected such acts from Jedi who have been trained for a long time, not a kid that has only been in this galaxy for over a month.

"We're here," the Jedi Master finally announced. "You can ask him yourself."

"Finally," she replied, relieved.

They landed inside of the Jedi Temple Hangars which had little to no people meandering around this time. Mace was pleased with that because he wanted to break the fact that a twenty-foot tall, transforming robot existed _VERY_ slowly. The last thing he wanted was for Arcee to end up in a lab as an experiment.

On cue, Jack and Aayla approached them slowly as the Jedi Master stepped out of the LAAT.

"Master Windu," the Twi'lek greeted as she and her Padawan bowed.

Mace turned to Jack and indicated the gunship. "I believe that someone wishes to see you, Jackson."

He hear her before he saw her. "Jack?"

For a moment, time seemed to slow down as Jack's eyes widened in surprise. He watched the motorcycle he knew so well depart from the LAAT and transform into the Autobot he knew so well. Her expression was the same as his: shock and relief. For what seemed like hours, the two stared at each other in silence, not sure what to say.

"A-A-A-Arcee?" Jack stuttered.

She knelt down to his level. "It's me, Jack."

Without warning, Jack embraced his friend, shedding a few tears of joy. If Arcee could, she would have done the same, but the emotion was clear on her face as she returned the hug.

"I've missed you, Arcee," he whispered.

"You too, Jack," she replied.

"How on Earth did you get here?" Jack asked, taking a step back.

"Space Bridge," she answered before taking a good look at Jack with a smirk on her face. "You seem to have attained a new fashion style while I was away."

The teen chuckled. "Very funny. It wasn't my idea." He held the braid in his hand. "Once I become a Knight, this baby is coming off." He gave her a look of mock-insult. "What, you don't like it?"

"Not in the slightest," Arcee responded.

Remembering the other two Jedi in the vicinity, Jack strode towards his master. "Arcee, this is my Master, Aayla Secura. Master, this is Arcee."

Arcee raised her optic ridge. "Master?"

"Not in the slave sense," Aayla assured, knowing what the femme was thinking. "It's another way of saying teacher here."

"I trust my partner has been staying out of trouble," she said.

Jack scratched the back of his head again, nervous. "Well..."

She narrowed her optics at him, even though she knew what he had done. "What did you do this time?"

Mace and Aayla exchanged confused looks. This time?

Jack cleared his throat nervously. "Um, Master, don't I have Jedi-orientated duties to attend to."

It didn't help that the Twi'lek did not have his back. "I'm afraid you have no pressing concerns as of this moment."

"Jack," Arcee said in a warning tone.

Mace Windu gave him his intimidating look. "I am very interested to know the facts, Padawan Darby."

He gulped. "I, uh, may or may not have been involved in a high-speed speeder chase and could have possible crashed said speeders and there was a chance that I was thrown out of a window recently. But I did apprehend the enemies after all of that."

"YOU WHAT!?" Arcee and Mace exclaimed simultaneously. This was news to the Jedi Master.

After getting over her initial shock, Arcee gave him a glare. "Start talking."

"Um, perhaps we could save it for-"

"Right now."

Mace hid his smirk. Perhaps the femme would be a good influence on the boy.

After hesitating, Jack relayed the events that occurred that day starting with the hostage crisis, how Aurra Sing threw him out, (that tidbit made Arcee want to march down to the prison and blast the near-human on the spot) and how he decided to chase down the bounty hunters and succeeded with some collateral damage.

The response he got from Arcee was the one he expected. "What in the name of the All-Spark were you thinking? Do you know you could have gotten killed!?"

"I assume the Council is aware of this?" Mace questioned to Aayla.

She nodded. "You just missed the session, although my Padawan is getting more grief from his friend than he did during the meeting."

"Did being thrown out of the window damage your head!?" Arcee asked.

Jack decided to not take that insult personally as he gave his answer. "I admit that it was foolish-"

"That's an understatement," Arcee scoffed.

"-but I couldn't just stand by and watch. I know it was stupid, that's a given, but I'm still trying to acclimate to all of this. And, no offense, but you shouldn't even be talking."

Her optics narrowed for the umpteenth time. "Excuse me?"

"How could you have known I was alive, Arcee?" he questioned, crossing his arms. "How could you have known that Megatron's coordinates did send me right into a sun or on a planet that didn't have a breathable atmosphere? I don't see any of the other Autobots here, meaning you came alone on this risky venture. Doesn't that warrant a 'What in the name of the All-Spark were _you_ thinking?'"

Arcee wanted to retort, but she knew Jack had her there. She had absolutely no idea if Jack was alive or not. It was only wishful thinking. She could've gotten killed, but out of pure, dumb luck, she not only survived but found Jack as well.

"Don't think you're off the hook that easy, Jack," Arcee warned. "And wipe that smirk off your face."

Jack kept his grin. "Come on. Admit it. We're two peas in a pod, Arcee. But I am very curious as to what happened when you got here."

"I will be making my report to the Council," Mace interrupted, heading towards the chambers. "Oh, and Jackson? The chancellor offers you his thanks."

Jack was taken aback. "Wow, even after the property damage. Thanks for the message, Master. Go ahead, Arcee."

Arcee explained to him how she met up with Jedi Master Ima-Gun Di, how she saved the Twi'leks while said Jedi Master gave up his life for them, how she helped rescue Twi'leks from nearby villages, how she met up with Obi-Wan and his platoon and completing their mission, joining up with Mace for his mission, and how Airachnid came into the picture.

Jack's eyes widened in horror. "Airachnid? _She's_ here!?"

"What's left of her," she answered.

He cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"She's dead," Arcee assured.

Jack's breathed a huge sigh of relief before asking, "How!?"

"After we took back the capital and apprehended the Separatist leader, I engaged Airachnid and I killed her at last." Arcee chose to leave out the part where she pretty much executed the spider. "And now, I ended up here."

"It seems the two of you share the same resourcefulness," Aayla pointed out after hearing the story.

The femme turned to face her. "From what I've been told, you've been training Jack to be a warrior. I have to say that I did not see that one coming."

"Neither did I," Jack admitted, "but here I am. Check this out!"

He gestured to a canister which started floating in the air. Arcee's optics widened in shock at seeing how effortless it was for her partner to do that. Despite the fact that she watched several Jedi perform those stunts on Ryloth, seeing Jack do it was still shocking to say the least.

"I can't believe it," Arcee breathed. "How is this possible? How is any of this possible?"

"It's the Force," Aayla explained. "When we tap into it, we are able to perform such feats."

"So, this Force is like a source of energy?" Arcee asked.

"Amongst other things," Jack answered, not wanting to spend the next hour discussing the Force.

Despite what she witnessed, Arcee decided to phrase her next words carefully. "Jack, I think that until I find us a way home, I do not believe you should be joining this war."

Jack's grin vanished and was replaced with confusion. "What? Why?"

The femme gave him an "Isn't it obvious?" look combined with annoyance before answering. "Jack, you nearly got yourself killed today, and for what? To apprehend a couple of bounty hunters?"

Jack narrowed his eyes darkly. "Those 'couple of bounty hunters' as you say executed a Senator in cold blood, killed the security, and threw me out the window! What else was I suppose to do? Sit around and do nothing?"

"There are others more capable to do the task-!"

"More capable!?" Jack exclaimed, getting angry. "I may not be a fully fledged Jedi, but I can hold my own in a fight!"

She rolled her optics. "I don't care what kind of magic powers you have. I lost you once! I won't allow you to selfishly throw your life away!"

Now, Jack was pissed off. "Selfish? Won't allow!? Like you won't allow me to have a social life outside the base-?"

"That was unavoidable!"

"-or how you wouldn't allow me to tell my mom the truth even after she tore me a new one?"

"We're not even supposed to exist on Earth and we did let you!"

"_After_ her life was on the line!" Jack corrected. "Why won't you listen to a damn word I'm saying!?"

All the frustrations and grievances Jack had with the Autobots were surging out of him like a tidal wave. Living a lie no matter the reason grated on him far more than being in danger. He had to get use to the fact of lying to everyone he knew, even his mom, for "security reasons." He couldn't even help because he was classified as a helpless teen. He thought that if he proved that he had power, perhaps Arcee would let him finally protect others, but he thought wrong.

Arcee had enough. "This discussion is over! You are not going out there playing hero and for once in your life, GROW! UP!"

Jack's voice became threatening and dark, various objects starting to levitate. "_**I will not be held prisoner again, least of all by you!**_"

"ENOUGH!" Aayla shouted.

Instantly, Jack snapped out of his daze and the objects crashed to the floor, horrified. _Did I just start planning to...hurt Arcee? By the Force!_

Aayla gave Jack a stern look. "Padawan, you have much to learn, one of which is respect and attitude! Even if you do not like the decisions of your superiors, you will conduct yourself in an orderly manner instead of what you have just done! Is that understood!?"

Jack bowed his head, ashamed more at what he was about to do. "Yes, Master."

The Twi'lek faced Arcee. "I do not know much about the troubles you are facing, but my Padawan is more resourceful than you give him credit for. His heart is in the right place, Arcee. He wants to help people."

Arcee opened her mouth to speak, but Aayla raised her hand to silence her.

"I know you care much for your friend, but restricting him will only damage your friendship. I will train Jack and when we go on missions, you may aide us, but you must trust him."

Arcee sighed in defeat. "I understand." She turned to Jack. "But why are you doing this?"

"Like Master Secura said, I want to help people, but..." His voice trailed off.

"But what?" Aayla pressed, concerned.

"I'm in danger, Arcee," Jack admitted. "I have a...condition."

"What condition?" she questioned, her anxiety rising.

"The Force is flowing through me...awkwardly. If I lose control of my emotions, or someone attacks my mind, I also lose control of my powers. Not too long ago, I destroyed an entire room by accident. They still haven't fixed it completely."

"Primus!" Arcee gasped. "If you don't train-"

"-I become a great danger to everyone," Jack finished grimly. "Tell me you understand, Arcee."

Arcee nodded. "I do now, Jack. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

"And I shouldn't have...done what I did." He turned to Aayla. "It felt horrible."

"That is the Dark Side, Jack," she responded. "Sadly, it is easy to succumb to its temptations. Do you see why anger leads to the Dark Side?"

"Yes," the teen answered. "I will strive to do better. I promise.

Aayla smiled. "That is all I ask, my Padawan. I take it that you will be sticking around, Arcee."

"She'd better," Jack replied jokingly.

Arcee grinned. "Do you think I'd let my partner go of in another war alone? No way in the Pit that's gonna happen."

"Then may I say welcome to the Jedi Temple," Aayla stated.

"Thanks for having me," the femme said. "By the way, Jack. If you weren't on Ryloth, where did you go?"

"On a planet with talking lemurs," he answered in the tone that would be used in a conversation about the weather.

The skeptical side of Arcee surfaced. "Talking...lemurs?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Yes, talking lemurs. Considering that I'm friends with a Cybertronian warrior, meeting fellow humanoids, and learning how to use the Force, are talking lemurs really that far off?"

She groaned. "Something tells me that there is a lot I _don't_ know."

"Shoe's on the other foot now," Jack stated with a smirk. "Should I threaten to hunt you down if you tell anyone about this stuff?"

"Shut up."

* * *

(Later; The Council Chambers)

"Do you think it is wise to allow her to stay?" Ki-Adi Mundi questioned. "Doesn't Jackson have an attachment with her?"

"The two would sacrifice their lives for each other," Aayla pointed out. "They are close friends, and they can work together well in the battlefield. That I _can_ see."

"Be as that may," Mace interrupted, "Jackson's future is clouded."

"Clouded, all our futures are," Yoda stated. "The taint of the Dark Side, it is. But, a glimmer of hope, our new ally is."

"Master Secura, you stayed behind after Master Windu left," Shaak Ti said. "Do you believe that this...Arcee will interfere in a negative way?"

Aayla shook her head. "No, she won't. If anything, she is like another teacher for Jack and she won't let him get away with anything."

"She executed her enemy on Ryloth," Mace shot back. "Who's to say that Jack won't do the same with the people he faces?"

"I believe we give them the benefit of the doubt," Kit Fisto said. "From what I hear, Arcee is a warrior. She has been to fight on the battlefield. Jack is being trained to bring peace, not war, and this Autobot seeks to end wars. We should continue to make sure Jack doesn't fall to the Dark Side, but we should not separate the two. That would cause more problems."

"All in favor of letting the two remain side-by-side?" Yoda asked.

More than half of the Jedi Council, including Shaak Ti, Yoda and surprisingly Mace, raised their hands.

"Decision made, it is," Yoda stated. "Remain with Jackson, Arcee will. Make an announcement, we should."

Mace nodded. "I agree. We don't want the Order to panic at the sight of a twenty-foot Cybertronian wandering around the Temple."

* * *

(Kamino)

"In all the years I have lived, I have never seen anything like it," Lama Su, the Prime Minister of Kamino, stated in shock."

After Mace Windu and Arcee had been taken to Coruscant, the chancellor ordered the remains of Airachnid to be brought to Kamino for experimentation. They could make armor and weapons out of the gigantic corpse they had.

Taun We, the Prime Minister's aide, nodded in agreement. "This will open many possibilities for us."

"Make sure this is transported into the labs carefully," the Prime Minister stated. "It appears us Kaminoans have a lot of work to do."

"What should I label this new project?" Taun We asked.

Lama Su paused for a moment. "Put it under Project: Nightbird."

**Finally, chapter over. If you want to know what Nightbird is, do some research on the Transformers sites to know what I have in mind. To those who already know, (evil grin) be **_**VERY **_**afraid.**

**As usual, review, vote, and stuff.**

**I hope I handled this chapter well. My mind was a blank for a while.**

**Next chapter: Hooray! A filler! Arcee gets acquainted with the Jedi.**


	13. Chapter 12: The New Girl On The Block

**HiddenHero220: Hope you didn't get in trouble. Your question will be answered sometime soon hopefully.**

**Kyuubi-Titan: They could have done more than they did.**

**unknown1124: Forgot about CNA. Thanks for the reminder.**

**Latinfenix101: Congratulations. You win the "reviewed most on a single chapter" award. First review: I hope I didn't disappoint. Second chapter: Get an account and I'll let you know. Third review: Yes.**

**Kris-dragon: Holocron thing will probably not happen, but I am planning on Durge to make an appearance. I just want to know how to kill him in an epic fashion.**

**H: Thank you.**

**vampireharry the 2: Thank you.**

Chapter 12: The New Girl On the Block

The Jedi Order took the news that a twenty foot robot would be living with them surprisingly well. Jack chalked it up to the fact that the Jedi hid their surprise rather well thanks to the whole there is no emotion segment of the Code. Still, he chuckled with a few of the Younglings stared at Arcee with their cute wide-eyes, bewildered. She returned their cute looks with a warm smile.

However, things between the two partners were still a bit...shaky.

Jack was still trying to get over the fact that for the briefest of moments, he wanted to attack his partner. The Dark Side surged through him like an adrenaline rush, but it felt so...wrong. Everything felt cold and dark, and yet, he felt power at his fingertips. The Dark Side was egging him on, telling him to put Arcee in her place, make her submit! The teen felt more ashamed than when he was lying to his mom; he felt no better than Megatron.

Arcee, too, was feeling uncomfortable with Jack for a while. Leave it to her to start jumping to conclusions the first chance she got. How could she call him selfish after everything they've been through? He risked his life over and over for a war he should have never had to be a part of. And yet, the experiences have made Jack into a person that would be willing to lay down his life for those he only just met. However, when Jack spoke in that threatening manner to her it...scared her a bit. He sounded, for the moment, just like-

_No._ She thought to herself firmly. _Jack Darby is not Megatron nor will he ever be. He is stronger than that. This Dark Side that Aayla mentioned? I will not let it corrupt Jack!_

Jack's mood lifted a bit. He didn't tell Arcee that he could read minds, especially ones that were broadcasting their thoughts loudly.

"You seem to keep interesting company, Jack," a familiar voice stated.

"Well, it's best to have really awesome friends, Anakin," the teen replied with a smirk. "Especially if that certain friend could wipe the floor with the droid armies."

Anakin grinned back before shifting his gaze towards Arcee. "Name's Anakin Skywalker."

Arcee's optics widened slightly in recognition. "Oh, so you're the guy Jack saved on that primitive planet?"

The Knight chuckled uncomfortably after glaring at Jack. "Well, it's something I don't really like to mention."

"Don't worry," Jack assured. "I mentioned it for you. It was a riveting tale."

Arcee arched her optic ridge. Was Jack starting to get an ego? She decided to knock him down a few pegs.

"Yes, well, running into battle while being injured is pretty stupid," Arcee admitted, "but it's not quite as stupid as doing something illegal just impress a certain girl, eh, partner?"

Jack's eyes widened in horror. "Um, Arcee, perhaps we should-."

"Oh, do tell," Ahsoka said, approaching them.

Anakin crossed his arms and gave Jack a "too bad for you" smirk. "Face it, buddy. You're in the spotlight tonight."

"See if I help you again," Jack muttered, bracing himself for Arcee's tale.

"Back on Earth, Jack was trying to impress this girl named Sierra, who he had a crush on, by trying to show up some guy named Vince, a jerk that was picking on him, with a race. Naturally, having me as his choice of vehicle, we beat the guy, but Jack, wanting to continue to show the girl that he was hot stuff, challenged Vince to another race. I declined to help him in his foolish endeavor, yet Smooth Operator here stole a different vehicle and used it to race Vince again."

The two Jedi dropped their jaws in response to that statement. They knew Jack was a bit reckless, but to that extreme? However, only Anakin could appreciate an illegal street race all for the sake of love. He would have done the same thing.

Ahsoka, however, snorted in response. "You did all of that to impress a girl? What were you thinking?"

_Spare me the lecture!_ Jack urged. _I am not in the mood for one._

"He wasn't," Anakin, surprisingly, answered with his trademark grin. "That was a pretty stupid move."

_Oh, you're one to talk._ "I know that now," Jack replied, "but unless the rules have changed in this universe, men tend to do _really stupid things_ for love!"

The Knight knew that comment was directed at him as a way of saying, "Watch it!" He wisely dropped that part of the conversation and picked up where they left off. "So, did Jack win the race?" Anakin asked.

"Nope," the teen answered, deciding to wrap up the story as quickly as possible. "A Decepticon infiltrated the street race, kidnapped Vince after knocking him out, and the Autobots were forced to intervene. Once we rescued him, I took the jerk back to his car and I returned the vehicle after Arcee gave me an extremely long speech about to never pull that stunt again and the next time, I would be cleaning the entire base if I dared to do that again." He turned to Arcee. "And don't even think about punishing me for what happened with the bounty hunters. That was an entirely different scenario!"

Arcee smirked at him. "I don't know. I'll have to think about it."

"Speaking of which," Anakin interrupted, "I wanted to thank you, Jack, for helping me out with the bounty hunters. I couldn't believe it when I heard you captured them as well as Ziro the Hutt."

Once again, Jack found himself scratching the back of his head, his trademark quirk it was becoming. "I was playing it by ear."

The Knight chuckled in response, but he chose this moment to examine Jack carefully. There was something off about him. He seemed a little more nervous than usual and his smiles seemed to be slightly forced. Anakin wondered if something had happened recently to provoke such emotions, forced or not.

"My name's Ahsoka Tano," the Padawan introduced.

"Call me Arcee," the femme replied.

"Anyone who can trash those droids without getting injured is an automatic friend in my book," Ahsoka beamed.

She chuckled in response. "You remind me of someone back on Earth, except you're more mature than her."

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Jack. "Um, Arcee? How long has it been since you used energon?"

Arcee's smile was replaced by a frown. How could she forget about that? "It's...been a while."

"What's energon?" Anakin asked.

"It's the resource Cybertronians need to survive," Jack explained. "They look like blue crystals, but they are very explosive."

"I don't suppose either of you have seen energon on a nearby planet, have you?" Arcee questioned. "I've been scanning since I was on Ryloth, and I haven't detected any."

Jack snapped his fingers, an idea taking hold. "Ilum! They've got thousands of crystals in there. Who's to say that there isn't any energon in the Crystal Caves?"

Anakin nodded in agreement. "You might be right. I can take you there on my ship, the _Twilight_."

"Thank you, Skywalker," the femme stated before turning to Jack. "Coming with us, partner?"

To their surprise, the teen shook his head in response. "Can't. I've got to go to the Archives to research something."

"I can do it for you," Ahsoka offered.

"No thanks, Ahsoka," he replied. "This is on a personal level."

Arcee was slightly disappointed, but given that she knew the reason behind his leaving her, she let it slide. "I guess I'll see you when I get back, Jack."

"Good luck, Arcee," Jack said before walking over to the Archives.

Anakin turned his narrow-eyed gaze towards the Autobot. "Is there something going on between you two?"

"No," Arcee lied, not being the one to reveal personal events.

"He's our friend, Arcee," Ahsoka stated. "We care about his well-being like you do."

Arcee gave a defeated sigh, but she decided to be broad in her next statement. "We had a spat earlier and he just needs some time alone."

The two Jedi understood. It seemed that the universal response to when two people argue with each other, being alone is a good first step.

"If you'll follow me, Arcee," Anakin said, heading back towards the hanger, "I'll take you to my ship."

"Try not to crash this time, Master!" Ahsoka exclaimed with a grin.

She received a glare from her master in response.

* * *

(Jedi Archives)

While he needed some time away from Arcee to sort things out, Jack needed to get down to business. Ever since he received that vision on Ilum, the words "the Catalyst" have been stuck in his mind. Given that the mysterious stranger wasn't keen on revealing his identity, Jack wouldn't be able to find out at this time, but he could, at least try to decipher the meaning behind whatever the Catalyst was. The Archives weren't too crowded today, giving the teen the opportunity to talk to the archivist without having to wait on her.

"Good afternoon, Padawan Darby," Archivist Jocasta Nu said with a warm smile. "Can I help you today?"

"Yes," Jack answered. "I need some information. I need to know if you have anything revolving around something called the Catalyst."

"Is this a definition you are looking for or something more specific?" she questioned.

"I think that in this case, The Catalyst might have to with, I don't know, a person? A prophecy? Something along those lines."

Jocasta turned to one of the computers and began typing into it. After narrowing a few datapads down, she found one under "Legends and Myths Throughout the Ages."

"Here we are!" she exclaimed, walking over to nearby column of blue lines that consisted of thousands of datapads.

"How do you do it?" he muttered.

"With practice," Jocasta answered, pulling out the datapad. "It takes many years to master the art of not only organizing the Archives, but to remember them as well." She handed it to him. "Here you are, dear. If I may ask, what is your interest?"

"I had a dream and some guy in my dream mentioned The Catalyst," Jack answered. "Ever since then, I couldn't get it out of my head."

She pursed her lips, mulling it over. "You could have had a vision, young one. Perhaps you should speak to Master Yoda about these matters. He can help you should this datapad fail you."

He took the pad with a smile. "Thank you, ma'am. I appreciate it."

Giving a curt bow, he left the Archives and entered his room. His master was currently sparring with Kit Fisto, so it gave him the window he needed to try and figure this out.

"I hate touchscreens," he said under his breath as he managed to end up on a completely random page. "Books are so much easier."

After managing to get it under control, Jack looked at the Index and found the Catalyst on one page. After clicking on the page, he only found it covering half a page. He read it out loud to himself.

"_**At the galaxy's darkest hour,**_

_**From the stars shall he come**_

_**Whatever actions he will take**_

_**Will mean salvation or destruction**_

_**Many paths will lay before him**_

_**And many people to guide him**_

_**But the Dark Side seeks to prey upon him**_

_**Corrupt his soul and make him a monster**_

_**Glimmers of hope shall fill his life**_

_**And love will come to fill the void in his heart**_

_**But he will suffer greatly with whatever choices he makes**_

_**Scars shall define him and so shall his choices**_

_**For he is The Catalyst**_

_**He will change the future!**__"_

The datapad fell out of his hands as the meaning behind the words started to take hold of him.

"No," Jack stated in denial. "No. I am _not_ The Catalyst. This is not who I am."

**You cannot live in denial, even briefly, Jackson Darby.** A _very _familiar voice stated.

Instinctively, Jack activated his lightsaber and faced a mirror, which showed the ghostly appearance of the Mysterious Person. This time, the mirror was darkened, but he could see the silhouette of the guy's face. At least he had a face to look at.

"I think I _am_ going insane," Jack stated, getting annoyed.

**That is not my mission, Jackson. **He stated with a firm tone. **My mission is to aide you on your journey, to be one of the many people that will guide you.**

"Then give me a damn answer for a change!" he exclaimed, getting more and more frustrated.

The Mysterious Person shook his head. **You do not believe the truth that is in front of you and you will not believe the truth that will come out of my mouth and fill your ears. And the only damage you will do with that lightsaber if yours is shatter the mirror.**

Jack's hand was starting to shake, his emotions starting to get the best of him, so he deactivated his lightsaber to avoid injuring himself by mistake. "I cannot be The Catalyst. Coming from the stars could mean thousands of things."

**I told you last time we met that your being here was of no coincidence. **The Mysterious Person affirmed. **So far, no one else has arrived to this galaxy under the conditions you were under. The Force wanted you to know what burden that has been laid upon you and warn you of things to come.**

"What do you mean?" Jack asked, stepping closer.

**The temptations of the Dark Side are always present, Padawan. From the wisest of all to the child in the Temple, the Dark Side seeks to destroy who we are. There are trials coming, Jack, trials that will either make or break you. You will succeed **_**and**_** you will fail. Such is the way of life. Power will not tempt you, I can assure you of that, but the Dark Side comes in many shapes and sizes, many more subtle than others. But do not let the failures destroy you. Learn from them, and you will become a great man. **

Jack was almost speechless. Before, he chalked it up to starting to lose his mind, but now...the sincerity and concern he was hearing could not be the fabrications of his mind. This guy was looking out for him despite only meeting him twice.

"How will you know that I will actually be able to make things better instead of worse?" he asked.

**Faith. I have faith in you as well as the Force. We can only show you the path, but you must decide on whether you will travel the path.**

Jack blinked and the image vanished.

Slowly, he picked up the fallen datapad and reread it a few times, realizing that the first four lines were accurate in what happened. The Clone Wars was currently a dark time and he came from the stars in a weird fashion. He also managed to aide in the liberation of Maridun, helped defeat the blockade over Ryloth, and captured a few bounty hunters despite the collateral damage. The Dark Side already made an attempt to corrupt him while he was arguing with Arcee, threatening to turn him into something ugly. He had to proceed cautiously from now on, but what was _"the void in his heart_?" Was it the fact that he had no father? What did it mean? And how will he change the future and will it be for good or for bad?

"What will I do?" Jack whispered, as denial started to leave his body.

* * *

(_Twilight;_ in route to Ilum)

"So, do you conserve energy in this form?" Anakin asked after the ship went into hyperspace.

"Yes," Arcee answered in her motorcycle form. "I'm almost out of my reserve energon. The smaller I am, the less energon I use up."

Anakin nodded. "Interesting. So, uh, how did you and Jack meet?"

Her tone changed to amusement. "I was in this form when it happened. Two Vehicons were trying to find me and I was about to make a break for it, but Smooth Operator showed up and declared that he loved me."

The Knight's eyes widened in shock. "He said that to you!?"

Arcee chuckled. "Humans have this condition that whenever they see a vehicle they deem to be cool, they instantly fall in love with it. Some are more vocal than others."

"I believe I understand what you're talking about," he replied, thinking about that terrific podracer he used back on Tatooine.

"Anyway, two girls show up, one of which was Sierra, and Jack tried to get her to believe that I was his motorcycle. He made a complete fool of himself by wasting two perfectly good minutes stuttering like a moron. Of course, that's when the Vehicons showed up, and I was forced to take Jack with me. After the Cons were dead, I swore that I would hunt Jack down if he revealed my existence to anyone."

"Some first date you guys had," Anakin joked.

Suddenly, the door opened to reveal a small, blue astromech beeping and whistling. When it spotted Arcee, it shrieked in fright, bringing out various tools to defend itself. Instantly, Arcee transformed into her robot form and aimed her blasters directly at the little droid.

"Don't even try," she warned with an icy tone.

"Artoo, back off!" Anakin ordered. "She's a friend."

Arcee arched her optic ridge. "Artoo?"

"Yeah, he's my astromech droid," he explained. "He's really valuable and it would be in your best interests to _not_ destroy him."

_CLANG!_

Anakin tried to fight back a grin. For the first time ever, Artoo had fainted. Threepio was going to get a kick out of this.

"Really valuable, huh?" Arcee questioned sarcastically, staring at the fallen droid.

"You just startled him, that's all," Anakin replied, coming to his friend's defense. "Anyways, we're here."

He exited hyperspace to reveal the icy planet of Ilum.

Anakin took a moment to remember one of the memorable times he was here. He remembered building his first lightsaber and dueling with Darth Maul's apparition. Now, he usually came here for when he needed to replace his broken lightsabers, which happened often.

Arcee, however, had a frown etched on her face. "You failed to mention that Ilum was a planet of ice."

"Got something against the cold?" Anakin asked, putting on a heavy coat and goggles.

"Almost froze to death the last time I was in extremely low temperatures, so, yeah!" she answered grimly.

"Don't worry," Anakin assured, landing the _Twilight_ carefully. "The Caves are nearby."

Transforming into her motorcycle form as the ramp lowered, the femme said, "Climb on!"

Anakin raised his eyebrows. "Wait, what?"

"I'll drive you there. It'll be faster."

"Um...okay," he replied uncertainly.

Before, Anakin had no problems riding vehicles, but it was strange to be riding on one that could talk. Once the two left the ship, Anakin jumped on the motorcycle seat, pointing west.

"That way!" he shouted over the blizzard.

"Hang on!" Arcee demanded.

Anakin found himself holding onto dear life as Arcee sped down the icy path. Once he got over the fact that any slip-ups could result in a very gruesome death, he let out a, "Woohoo!" It reminded him of podracing, feeling the wind rushing in his ears and the recklessness of it all. If vehicles were like this on Earth, he'd be set for life.

"Having fun!?" Arcee shouted over the wind.

"Heck, yeah!" Anakin exclaimed. "This is awesome!"

"Good news: you were right. There is energon on this planet, an abundance of it! I'll be living past tomorrow!"

"Once we get to the Caves, we'll be able to get shelter from the storm for a while," Anakin assured, brushing the snow off his goggles.

"Want to make this drive more interesting?" she offered.

"How so?" Anakin responded.

He was answered when she popped a wheelie. It was then that Anakin decided that motorcycles were rivaling podracers.

"It's official!" Anakin yelled after he gave another "WOOHOO!" "I am building one of these!"

* * *

(Coruscant; Republic Executive Building)

Ever since the Hostage Crisis, Palpatine had been able to get some time alone in his office to "get over" the events that occurred and to "mourn" the death of Senator Philo. In reality, his plan was falling into place. He had sensed the Jackson boy was strong in the Force, but he needed to test that theory. He managed to get the Padawan to stay in the building long enough to test his abilities against the bounty hunters. Still, it was a big shock when he watched the news of the speeder chase and the fact that he still apprehended Cad Bane and Aurra Sing. He was a clever one, and could either be helpful or a hindrance to his plans. Either way, Palpatine knew that the boy was the cause of the disturbance in the Force.

Skywalker was his trump card; that much was certain, but it wouldn't hurt to have a backup plan in the unlikely event the brash Jedi failed to turn. He could sense that Jackson's mind was damaged, and if he played his cards write, he could be turned after some...convincing. Or, it would be better off to kill him to eliminate a threat.

However, what concerned him the most was the appearance of this Autobot called Arcee. He had heard that she destroyed thousands of droids without getting a single scratch. She could tip the war in favor of the Republic too soon. He needed the war to be at a constant stalemate so that when the time came, Skywalker would turn, the Republic and the Jedi would fall at last, and he would rule the galaxy with an iron fist.

Making sure that no one was nearby, he activated the most private comlink system he had. Not even Count Dooku knew about this one. Palpatine needed to be certain that know one would find out about his secret contact

A hologram appeared of a robot with eye who was currently working on something. He stared directly at Palpatine and, after giving a quick bow, said, "_Yes, my lord?_"

The chancellor grinned at his loyalty. "Shockwave, I assume the project goes well?"

"I calculate that it shall be done soon," the Decepticon scientist droned in his usual monotone. "It is illogical that you have called me only to check up on my progress."

"One of your enemies is on Coruscant right now," Palpatine stated. "I believe they called her Arcee."

"_That femme caused me problems many cycles ago,_" Shockwave said, his voice tightening slightly. "_Are there any other Autobots that you are aware of in your galaxy?_"

"No," Palpatine answered. "I believe she has arrived alone. However, she could tip the scale of the Clone Wars in the Republic's favor too soon. I need to stall for time. That is why I have come to you."

"_The most logical course of action would be to announce to the other Decepticons that their enemy is there,_" Shockwave responded. "_I will contact them at soon as you end this transmission. Do you know where she is currently?_"

"My sources say that she is with Skywalker on Ilum. They are looking for energon."

Shockwave chuckled. "_They will find more than energon on that planet. I know a Decepticon who will deal with them._"

Palpatine's grin widened. "Good. Inform me once the project is complete."

The Decepticon bowed again. "_Yes, my lord._"

Once the chancellor ended the transmission, he felt more content about the future. This day was getting better and better.

**And another chapter that I'm not too proud of completed. Sorry for the long wait. Writer's block and all that.**

**How Shockwave knows Sidious will be revealed at another time, but feel free to guess that and the Decepticon Arcee and Anakin will be fighting on Ilum. **

**Also, I hope I did the prophecy well and explained a few things. Believe me when I say that Jackson Darby is in for a rough ride.**

**Review, vote, etc.**

**Next chapter: Arcee and Anakin go toe-to-toe with a Decepticon. Take guesses on who it is. I hope I can surprise you.**


	14. Chapter 13: Casualties of War

**Interesting. I got mixed reviews from the last chapter, mostly revolving around Shockwave and Sidious working together. Yes, I know that the Sith aren't gods, but need I remind everyone that, despite what the movie portrayed, Darth Sidious is the most powerful Sith that was known at this time. See Force Unleashed or read the books if you really want to understand just how powerful he is. I'll update the previous chapter to change a couple of details eventually.**

**HiddenHero220: Yes, indeed.**

**EgyLynx: Thanks.**

**JapanRules555: ...Maybe.**

**Truth Behind the Eyes: Haven't seen you in a while. Glad you like the story. And the question shall be answered in this chapter.**

**Rvbfan424: Thanks.**

**Knightowl: All will be revealed...someday.**

**kris-dragon: I'll try not to overdo it, but Palpatine's pretty powerful.**

**Guest: No, it's not going to end well.**

**RedGargoyle72: I'll see what I can do and the romance thing will happen. Just not immediately, but you have given me an idea.**

**vampireharry the 2: Thanks.**

**Guest 2: LOL. I guess so.**

**tankbuster626: Nope.**

* * *

Chapter 13: Casualties of War

(Ilum; Crystal Caves)

"Nice place you have here," Arcee observed, bringing out her energon scanner, which was beeping.

"The Crystal Caves are a sacred place to the Jedi Order," Anakin explained. "One of the traditions, or in this case, a rite of passage, of the Jedi Order is to travel to Ilum and retrieve your crystal to build your lightsaber."

"Why here?" she asked.

"It's also a character building exercise," he added. "In order to find your crystal, you have to open yourself up to the Force and allow it to guide you. There are crystals everywhere in this cave, but only a small few would belong to the person who is searching for them. Many times, you end having to face your fears, think outside the box, or even deal with illusions.

She arched her optic ridge. "Strange rite of passage."

Anakin shrugged. "Only if you're a Jedi. So, is there energon here?"

A huge grin appeared on the Autobot's face. "Where _isn't_ there energon is the question. There are hundreds of energon pockets all over the place. It's the gold mine for all Cybertronians!"

Deciding to test a theory, Anakin used the Force to open his lightsaber. Carefully, he removed the crystal and raised it up to the scanner. "Is this an energon crystal, Arcee?"

She aimed the scanner at the crystal, but it came back negative. "It's not, Anakin. It's seems to be generating a different kind of energy, but it's not one I'm familiar with."

Satisfied, Anakin rebuilt his lightsaber. "Okay, your crystals have similar qualities, such as the color and the energy. It would be interesting to see if we can make a lightsaber that is powered by this energon."

"If the connection is stable, it's possible," Arcee said, but then her scanner started beeping again. "Wait!"

"What is it?" Anakin questioned, gripping his lightsaber tightly.

She stared intently at the scanner with concern. "We're not alone. I'm detecting a life form in here that's clearly Cybertronian."

"Autobot or Decepticon?"

"Can't tell. The large amounts of energon are interfering with the signal. Either that, or it's your crystals that's making this thing go haywire."

Suddenly, a psychotic laugh was sounded in the distance echoing throughout the caves. Instantly, Arcee's optics widened in horror as Anakin ignited his lightsaber and got in his battle stance.

"I know that laugh," she whispered.

"AN AUTOBOT WANDERING THROUGH MY HOME AT LAST!" the unknown psychopath screeched maniacally, his voice coming from an undetermined location. "HOW I LONGED TO KILL MORE OF YOUR KIND!"

Anakin would not admit it later, but a chill went down his spine. "Who is that?"

Arcee's hands turned into blasters, scanning the entire corridor. "The one Decepticon I hoped _wasn't_ alive."

The voice dropped down to a creepy whisper. "You've brought a friend with you, a fleshy, I believe. Does it perhaps like to play? I would love a new pet and make it squirm. Perhaps, make it cry. Oh, yes. That would be delightful.

Anakin's fear and frustration were rising steadily. "Show yourself, coward!"

The voice laughed. "If you insist! But be careful what you wish for because you will know fear when I rip your beating organ out. How you will beg me to stop and grant you a painless death. And you dare call me a coward? I am pain. I am suffering. I am fear. I AM RAMJET!"

_KABOOM!_ The wall to the right the duo exploded, sending massive shards of ice in their direction. Arcee managed to jump out of the way and Anakin Force-Jumped away from the debris. Once the smoke cleared, they came face to face with the insane Decepticon.

Ramjet's size easily dwarfed Arcee's. Forty feet tall he stood with his rusty, white armor. He was armed with two wrist blasters that were currently being aimed at the Autobot. His face, however, screamed psychotic. His optics were bright purple and he bore an energon-stained smile of insanity.

"Ramjet," Arcee snarled. "I was hoping you were dead."

"I am not easy to kill, femme," the Decepticon replied. "You were clearly deluding yourself with this false hope of yours."

Without saying anything else, he opened fire on the Autobot, but she rolled out of way while firing at him. The lasers bounced harmlessly of his hull as he laughed.

"Give me a challenge, Autobot!" Ramjet taunted, charging at her.

Bringing out her wrist-blades, Arcee prepared to meet his charge, but she was surprised to see Anakin leap into the fray. With his lightsaber, the Jedi stabbed the Decepticon in the back, causing him to scream.

"IT BURNS!" Ramjet yelled. "IT BURNS!"

Anakin held on for dear life as the Decepticon tried to shake him off. However, the mech's hand wrapped around his body and tossed him to the ground, knocking the wind out of him. Ramjet curled his fist, ready to beat the Knight into a bloody smear only for him to launch a powerful Force Push, sending the Con back a few meters. Instantly, Arcee lunged at Ramjet and slashed across his face with her wrist-blade. While it didn't do much damage, the force of the blow made him crash to the ground.

"Filthy, little Scraplet," Ramjet sneered, getting back on his feet.

Anakin, while gasping for breath, called his lightsaber to him, preparing to continue to fight. "That the best you can do?" he taunted.

To his surprise the insane Cybertronian cracked a grin. "I like you, fleshy. Too bad I'll be squeezing you-."

_BAM!_ Arcee gave right hook to the Con's face, but he grabbed both her arms and started to pull.

"DO NOT INTERRUPT ME!" Ramjet screamed. "HAVE YOU NO DECENCY, AUTOBOT SCUM!?"

Anakin tossed his lightsaber directly at the Cybertronian's hand, digging into his giant fingers. Ramjet cried out in pain once again, giving Arcee the moment she needed. Loosening her arm from the giant's grip, she fired point-blank in his optic, blinding him.

While Ramjet stumbled around, shouting, "MY OPTIC!" and "I'LL FEAST ON YOUR SPARK!" Arcee surprised Anakin by transforming into her motorcycle form.

"Climb on!" she commanded. "Don't argue. Just do it!"

Reluctantly, the Jedi hopped on and she sped away from the cackling laughter.

"YOU CAN RUN, BUT I WILL FIND YOU! **I WILL FIND YOU!"**

* * *

(Coruscant; Jack's Room)

When Aayla sensed a disturbance in the Force coming from Jack's room, she prepared herself for the worst. She knew that he wasn't injured (there would have been a different and more painful tremor) but she felt confusion, frustration, a twinge of shame, and extreme waves of sadness bursting from him. Something bad had happened and she was going to get to the bottom of it immediately.

Once the Twi'lek entered the room, she found a scene that bewildered her.

Jack was sitting in front of a mirror with his face in his hands. He wasn't shedding tears, but it was clear that he was close to that point. Next to him on the floor was a datapad that was still on. Aayla deduced that he read something unpleasant, causing him to have the reaction.

"Jack?" she asked, concerned.

He didn't answer, nor did he acknowledge Aayla's presence.

"Padawan, please talk to me!" the Twi'lek urged, her concern growing at an astonishing rate.

"Why am I here?" the teen mumbled. "Why have I been chosen?"

Carefully, Aayla levitated the datapad to herself, causing a startling reaction.

"DON'T!" he shouted, grabbing the datapad out of the air.

He crashed unceremoniously to the floor, clutching the pad as if it was the only thing keeping him alive.

"Jack!" Aayla exclaimed, her tone crossing between a rebuke and worry. "What is the matter?"

"Don't read it," Jack begged. "Please, don't read it."

She knelt down next to him, staring intently into his eyes. "I can't help you if you don't let me. Please tell me what is wrong."

Jack took a deep breath, shaking as he exhaled, and told her what happened. "Do you remember when I was knocked at the Crystal Caves for a few hours?" Seeing her nod, he continued. "While I was unconscious, I received a vision from someone who claimed to have been sent by the Force. He didn't reveal his identity to me, yet he was constantly telling me that my being here was not a coincidence."

"Why didn't you say anything to me or anyone else?" Aayla asked, slightly hurt that Jack would tell her about this.

"I thought that I was going crazy at the time," he answered. "But he told me that I needed to find something called The Catalyst, claiming that I would find it interesting." Slowly, he held the datapad to her. "I found it."

Aayla took the pad and read what was on the screen. As she perused the page, several expressions past through her face. First it was skepticism which quickly turned into shock. Worry was also added once she had finished reading the prophecy.

"It's about me, isn't it?" Jack asked semi-rhetorically. "The Catalyst is me?"

For a moment, the Twi'lek master was at a loss for words. "Jack, I...uh, I don't...know what to say."

"I don't know what to do, Master," Jack said, looking more lost than she did. "Am I going crazy? What's going on?"

"We need to speak to the Council immediately, Jack," she stated firmly. "They can help you."

Jack started to have a panicked tone in his voice. "What if I turn to the Dark Side? What if I end up making things worse for the galaxy? What if I become a destroyer!?"

Aayla griped his shoulders. "Jack, listen to me! Do not let these worries destroy you. If you live in fear of what is to come, you will remain a shell of who you could be. You have people in your life who care about you and will not allow you to travel this journey alone. _I_ care about you! Do you doubt me so much that you believe that I would let you walk alone?"

After a pause, Jack shook his head. "No, I don't."

She backed up a little and held out her hand. "Then let us help you."

Jack stared at Aayla's hand for a moment before putting his hand in hers. While he didn't need help getting off the floor, he showed her one thing in that action: he trusted her.

* * *

(Ilum; Crystal Caves)

"So, what can you tell me about that guy?" Anakin asked as the two traveled deeper into the Caves.

"Ramjet used to be one of the lieutenants in Megatron's army," Arcee answered. "One of his favorite tactics was to get into his aerial mode and ram directly into his opponent. The strategy, surprisingly, worked since aerial fighters didn't expect him to pull those stunts _and _survive. He's ruthless and he's insane. Not a good combination to have for an enemy."

Anakin cringed at the thought of a Sith Lord that was psychologically insane and hoped not to come across one. "My lightsaber seems to have an affect against him as well as point-blank blaster shots. If I can get close to him, I could cut his head off."

She suddenly shushed him. "Quiet. Listen."

Anakin closed his mouth and listened to the sounds of distant rumbling, igniting his lightsaber again in the process. "What's he doing?"

"Causing a cave-in, perhaps?" Arcee suggested, bringing out her blasters. "Not that it would mean much."

A horrible thought crossed the Jedi's mind. "Arcee, what did you say he can transform into?"

"Some aerial vehicle. Why do you-?" Her eyes widened, realizing what he was getting at. "SCRAP! He's going after the _Twilight_!"

(Outside)

_Surely they had to have arrived in some sort of vehicle._ Ramjet thought to himself as he lumbered through the ice and snow. _It's my ticket off this rock._

For many cycles, the Decepticon had been in stasis ever since he arrived on Ilum. Undisturbed, he rested, restoring his strength from the scars that the war had inflicted on him. Then, he was contacted by Shockwave, who managed to create a transmitter that could reach great distances. Loyal as always to the Decepticon cause, Shockwave informed Ramjet of a gathering of Decepticons on another planet, but the aerial-bot didn't care. He just liked to kill things and blow stuff up.

He got his chance when two fleshies invaded his home and he caused an avalanche with a couple of explosives. Unfortunately, the two managed to get away before he could dissect them in the way the Shockwave loved to. Now, an Autobot at last had come, bringing along another fleshy. This particular fleshy was important somehow, for Shockwave contacted him yet again to keep him alive. Ramjet attempted to pull his punches, but the human's glowstick burned through his armor far worse than a horde of Scraplets. And that femme shot him point-blank in the face, destroying one of his optics. No one injured Ramjet and got away with it. He would reduce the Autobot to scrap and paint the snow red with the fleshy's blood.

In the distance, he could see that outlines of a ship. It was a bulky one, not his first choice, but Ramjet would not be picky today. His eyes glowed green as he scanned the starship. Once he had done so, he transformed into the aerial vehicle. While he had the same features at the same color, he added a few things such as extra laser and a few missile launchers. Not to mention that he could bomb the heck out of anything if he wanted to.

On cue, he heard the sound of the two-wheeler approaching. His instincts were to slaughter the both of them, but they had a ship. He needed to eliminate as many of their advantages as possible, and then he could get on with the killing.

"Let's see what this form can do," he cackled, releasing a barrage of missiles that were three times the amount he needed to destroy the ship.

The moment the first missile made contact, the _Twilight_ exploded into thousands of pieces. The other five missiles dug their way into the ice, forming a giant hole that led to an icy ocean below. The shockwave was enough to send the duo backwards once again.

Needless to say, the insane Decepticon was satisfied. "Damn, I'm good!"

"MY SHIP!" Anakin shouted, extremely pissed off.

_At least you won't crash it again._ He imagined Obi-Wan saying.

Arcee was mortified by the horrible turn of events and the fact that Ramjet, while cackling insanely, was heading directly at them. "We need to move. Now!"

Red blasterfire rained down from the sky, aiming to kill. Once again, Anakin relied on Arcee to get them to safety. The blasterfire was too large for Anakin to deflect with his lightsaber, so he settled for launching several chunks of ice at him with the Force.

"I'VE SEEN CATAPULTS WITH BETTER AIM!" Ramjet insulted as he barely dodged the ice. "WHY MUST YOU BE SPARED FROM MY WRATH!? WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT YOU!?"

"Screw the Code," Anakin snarled. "I hate that guy!"

"Join the club!" Arcee retorted, barely keeping ahead of the lasers.

Ramjet increased his speed, but, to their astonishment, he ceased fire as he zoomed over them. Anakin attempted to slash the underside with his lightsaber, but he was too far up.

"What are you up to?" Anakin wondered.

The answer came in the form of the hatch opening releasing a cluster of bombs from the ship. Quickly, Arcee swerved out of the way and the Knight levitated the explosives away just in the nick of time.

"YOU'RE RUINING MY FUN!" Ramjet shouted.

Once again, he flew in front of the duo and turned around. With a burst of speed, he charged directly at them in the form of a head-on collision.

"Get ready to jump!" Arcee exclaimed.

Using the Force to balance himself, Anakin stood on the seat in a crouching position, prepared to jump. Arcee had to time it just right, or else Ramjet could skewer the both of them.

"Now!" she yelled.

Anakin leaped over the ship barely while causing a deep gash in the armor with his lightsaber. Arcee transformed and bent backwards so much that Ramjet soared over her. However, she scratched him with her wrist-blades to further agonize him. Instantly, she transformed back into her motorcycle form and Anakin landed perfectly back on top of the seat.

"Not bad," Arcee complemented. "I can see why they call you the Hero With No Fear!"

"Thanks," Anakin replied, "but I think we ticked him off."

"I'LL KILL YOU FRAGGERS!" the Decepticon screamed.

"You think?" Arcee responded sarcastically.

Miraculously, blue lasers rained down on Ramjet, damaging him further.

The duo looked up to see several ARC-170s going after Ramjet, firing at will.

_"Anakin, are you and Arcee still alive?"_ Obi-Wan's voice asked over the comlink.

Anakin chuckled before answering, "Yes, Master. Arcee and I are still alive."

* * *

(Earlier)

_"He's going after the _Twilight._"_

_ Immediately, Anakin activated his comlink. "Artoo, do you copy?"_

_ He got several beeps and whistles in response._

_ "I want you to send a message to Coruscant immediately," Anakin commanded. "The message is this: 'Decepticon on Ilum. Need immediate aid!' Understand?"_

_ Artoo whistled in response._

_ "Thanks, buddy. I need you to also evacuate the ship because a giant robot is coming after you!"_

_ Artoo beeped in a worried tone before the Jedi ended the transmission._

* * *

(Present)

_"You surprise me, Anakin," _Obi-Wan stated. "_Calling for aide?"_

"Let's just say we bit off more than we can chew with this Decepticon," Anakin explained, slightly embarrassed. "You okay, Artoo?"

More whistles came as a response. The little astromech barely escape from the attack and currently had enough of the giant robots for a while. Currently, he was flying towards them on his jetpacks.

"He's full of surprises," Arcee noted.

Anakin grinned before continuing to talk with his former master. "Where are you, anyway?"

"_I took the liberty of borrowing the _Resolute," the Jedi Master answered. "_I hope you don't mind."_

At that moment, Ramjet turned to the four ARC-170s and charged towards them.

"Break off!" Anakin commanded, but it was too late.

Ramjet ripped through the starship as if they were made of butter. The remains of the ship clattered to the icy floor and the blood of the clone troopers stained him.

"WHAT A RUSH!" Ramjet cackled through the comlink. "DO NOT WORRY, MY FRIENDS! THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF TIME TO PLAY!"

Before anyone could stop him, Ramjet sped into space, disappearing from view.

"Scrap!" Arcee swore as she came to a halt.

"You said it," Anakin agreed.

"_Anakin, I'm sending a shuttle down,"_ Obi-Wan informed. "_I do hope you two have an explanation as to what just occurred down there."_

The Jedi chuckled mirthlessly. "It's an interesting explanation to say the least."

* * *

(The _Resolute_; in route to Coruscant)

"...and he attempted to ram us, but we managed to get out of the way while inflicting some injuries on him," Anakin explained. "Then, you guys showed up."

Obi-Wan stroked his beard while thinking. "A psychopathic Decepticon with tendencies to ram into other starfighters. I daresay that I am worried, to say the least."

"The good news is that there is energon on that planet," Arcee informed, "but the caves are a little wrecked."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "Leave it to Anakin to cause damage to one of the most sacred places to the Jedi."

"In my defense, Ramjet started it," the Knight replied. "Still, the thought of him out there, looking like _my_ ship, is a disturbing one."

"At least we know what this Ramjet looks like," Rex stated. "If he shows up, we'll be ready."

"Will we?" Anakin asked, raising his eyebrows. "According to Arcee, there's more of those Decepticons out there. They could be anywhere and wouldn't know it. The next one that shows up, we won't be as lucky."

"You make a valid point, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, turning to Arcee. "What are the chances of making contact with your allies?"

"If we could get a good enough signal or place a beacon somewhere, chances are pretty good," Arcee answered. "Still, there's a chance that Decepticons can track it."

"We may have to take that chance," Obi-Wan replied gravely. "We'll discuss it with the Council and the chancellor, but if those Decepticons are as powerful as you claim, we may need all the help we can get."

Anakin nodded in agreement, but something Ramjet said bothered him. The Decepticon wondered why he had to spared, meaning that Ramjet was working for someone. Whoever it was did not want Anakin harmed, and whoever it was had plans for the Knight. He would have to keep an eye out on who wants him alive for their own purposes.

Obi-Wan's comlink beeped. "This is Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

A hologram of Mace Windu appeared. "_General Kenobi, we are having a Council session very soon and we need you, Skywalker, and Arcee to attend."_

"Understood," he replied as the transmission ended.

"What do you think he wants us for?" Anakin asked.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "I don't know, but he seemed more concerned than usual. Something must have happened while we were away."

Arcee hoped inwardly that it had nothing to do with Jack, but given his track record, he wasn't that fortunate.

* * *

(Unknown Location)

"Filthy Autobot scum," Ramjet sneered as he soared through the stars. "I cannot be so rusty as to take damage from a two-wheeler such as the femme! And that human! When I get my hands on him, I'll-!"

"_Enough, Ramjet,_" Shockwave stated through the comms. "_You complaining is beginning to grate on me. I trust you will do better next time."_

"Once I receive a different form, yes," Ramjet assured. "I saw a giant cruiser in space. I wonder what happens if I decide to charge at it. Will I crumple or will it crumple? Ah, such possibilities."

"_You know who we answer to,"_ Shockwave reminded him. "_To illogically disobey him would end your lifespan. You know just how powerful he is. Megatron is more merciful than he is."_

Ramjet scoffed, showing a few signs of sanity. "Please, Shockwave. Just because I'm loyal to the Decepticon cause doesn't mean I'm loyal to him. Answering to someone is such a pain. I may have been a fine lieutenant in the glory days of the Decepticons, but those days are over. I just want to cause enough pain before I rust away. We all do at some point, but what keeps me alive is the pleasure of ripping out Autobot sparks. And I will. Believe me, I will rip her spark out and crush that human for the bug that he is."

"_Your reasons are illogical, Ramjet,"_ Shockwave replied in his bored tone. "_Know that the glory days are coming back and the Decepticons will rise once again. Whether or not you survive is to be determined. Make sure that if you find fellow Decepticons, direct them to the coordinates I have sent you._"

"I'm only doing these tasks for you because I owe you, Shockwave," he shot back. "Once the debt is fulfilled, we never speak to each other again."

"_Agreed._ _Shockwave out."_

**Another chapter done. I feel a lot better about this one. So, Shockwave has a boss. Could it be Palpatine or someone else? Feel free to guess, but I've given you a few hints. Also, Ramjet will be back. Fear him! **

**I hope you guys liked the direction I took with Ramjet. With him ramming into ships, I'm surprised he hasn't gone insane. Originally, I was going to attempt to have him ram a cruiser, but I decided to save that for a later date. **

**Yes, I destroyed Anakin's ship. Don't be hating. Give suggestions for replacements whether they'd be regular ships or possible Autobots. Spoiler: don't suggest Air Raid because that will eventually be Jack's starship. Thank ArkonWinfel for that suggestion.**

**Also, I take requests for the next Autobots and Decepticons to show up in the Star Wars universe. I know how the story will end, but anything can happen between now and then.**

**Another thing, check out Rapidfyrez story Force of Nature where Jack gets teleported to The Old Republic verse. He makes an understandable jab at my V1 story of the Jedi From Earth, but he writes good stuff. Speaking of which, should I just delete that story now that I am far past that?**

**Review, vote, etc.**

**Next chapter: The Council discusses The Catalyst and an old friend makes an appearance...I hope.**


	15. Chapter 14: Opportunities Knocking

**Wow! That's a lot of requests. It will take me time to figure out who I want to bring, but your requests have not gone unheard of.**

**NOTE: Due to popular demand, I have deleted my V1 of The Jedi From Earth. It was good while it lasted, but in retrospect, I wasn't going to look at it again. Plus, Rapidfyrez making his point clear on what he thought about it influenced my decision. Sorry if I disappointed anyone who did like the story more than I did.**

**HiddenHero220: Yup.**

**ArkonWinfel, Guest, Latinfenix101, tankbuster626, and kris-dragon: Thank you for the options. I'll see what I can do.**

**RedGargoyale72: Um...I'm having a hard time figuring out what you want me to do. Sorry.**

**H, EgyLynx, and JapanRules555: Thank you, I removed the story, and I'll mull over the Combaticons. Like I said, a lot of possibilities.**

**The Prime Writer and Thanatos's Scribe: I'll keep it in mind.**

* * *

Chapter 14: Opportunities Knocking

_There seems to be a pattern here._ Jack thought to himself as he once again found himself standing in the middle of the Council Chambers, which were, for the most part, finally rebuilt. _Every time something major happens, it all happens here, one way or another._

Aayla stood next to her nervous Padawan, sending waves of comforting thoughts to him so that his anxiety would lessen, but she could not fight back her own worry.

Arcee had requested to accompany Jack because she was concerned for her partner, and, after much deliberation, the Council granted her request. She also wanted to see just what type of people Jack would be answering to. If she didn't like them, it sucked to be them.

Each of the Council members had their own copies of the prophecy revolving around The Catalyst. A few, such as Mace, were skeptical, others, like Kit Fisto, were shocked, and Yoda was the only one who's expressing was unreadable other than the "I'm in deep thought" vibe he was giving out.

Obi-Wan was in his Council seat, but he watched with great interest and a slight twinge of worry. The Jedi Master was truly concerned over how young Darby would react. He didn't want to witness the boy blowing up the Council Chambers; hearing about it was more than enough. Anakin and Arcee stood near the exit of the chambers, both equally concerned for Jack. Anakin could definitely relate to being part of a prophecy that he didn't ask for, given the fact that he was foreseen as the Chosen One. Anakin also recognized the looks some of the Council members were giving Jack: it was the "he's a time bomb" look. Arcee, on the other hand, was ticked off. It seemed that trouble had a hard time letting Jack go. She hoped that whoever wrote the prophecy was drunk at the time.

Shaak Ti was the first to speak, but she found it difficult to find the right words. "This...cannot be a coincidence, I'm afraid."

"Any actions one makes can change the future," Ki-Adi Mundi pointed out.

"Give you his identity, the Mysterious Man did?" Yoda questioned, finding that to be more interesting at the moment.

Jack shook his head. "No, he didn't, Master Yoda. However, he gave me a riddle: 'Some would say I am a puzzle, others would name me dead, and the rest will immediately assume that you are currently losing your mind.' Does that description fit anyone?"

Yoda pondered the words. "Speculate, we only can."

"I believe he was once a living man," Jack stated. "Perhaps it was his spirit."

"Impossible!" Mace _(of course it was him)_ refuted. "No one can come back from the dead."

Arcee narrowed her optics at the Korun. She was starting to not like him.

"The first time I saw him was in a vision," Jack continued, ignoring his comment. "The recent event was in a mirror. And, no, I do not believe that I am going crazy...anymore." He muttered the last word, despite the fact everyone in the room caught it.

"We should discuss whoever that man was later," Eeth Koth, the Zabrak Master said. "What needs to be determined is if Jackson Darby is indeed this Catalyst."

Obi-Wan decided to step in. "If I may, Masters, let's take a look at what we know: young Jackson came to this galaxy under perhaps the most strangest circumstances known to date."

"He's right," Arcee agreed. "A malfunctioning Space Bridge would take a lot of luck to survive, let alone reach a destination that happens to be habitable."

"Things have been changing around here ever since Jack arrived," Anakin pointed out.

"Not helping, Anakin," Jack replied through clenched teeth.

"We still do not know if this prophecy is true or not," Mace interrupted. "For all we know, what if this one is a myth?"

"And what if it's true?" Saesee Tinn, the Iktotchi Master, countered. "We must tread carefully either way."

Jack didn't have to be an expert to get the hidden meaning behind Master Tinn's words. By "treading carefully," the teen would probably have a few more eyes on him.

Very soon, the Council broke into several debates on whether Jack was The Catalyst or not, whether he was dangerous or not, and other subjects revolving around him.

The more the Council bickered about whether he was The Catalyst or not, the more frustrated Jack became. Couldn't these people see that he was right there? Was all that mattered at this point was trying to decide what he was going to do in the future? Didn't they understand that he didn't ask for any of this!?

_Calm!_ Yoda urged telepathically, who wasn't debating with his fellow Council members. _You must remain calm. Expensive, renovations are._

The teen chuckled briefly, but he made up his mind, considering that Arcee looked like she wanted to shoot the Jedi on the spot.

To the shock of the Jedi Council, Jack Darby walked towards the exit. All conversations immediately ceased when he performed this action.

"We did not dismiss you, Jackson!" Mace rebuked.

"Too bad," the teen responded coldly before walking out the door.

Arcee decided to speak her mind while crossing her arms. "Perhaps instead of debating about whether my partner is going to become a homicidal maniac, you humanoids should really consider how much this is affecting him."

Mace opened his mouth to offer a retort, but the small, green Master raised his hand to silence him.

"Let her talk, we shall," he stated. "Learn, we still can, or forgotten have we?"

Arcee made a mental note to thank him. "He didn't ask for any of this, yet you look at him as if he's a bomb ready to go off. Are you really so insensitive to not see the weight that he's being forced to carry?"

_I could have used someone like her when I was younger._ Anakin thought with a sad smile.

"I agree," Aayla stated. "Jack is a good person, one of the finest Padawans _any_ Master could ask for. Granted, he has flaws, but so do we. With all due respect, Masters, to treat him as dangerous would not only be detrimental, but a hypocrisy to our entire Order!" Her voice rose in volume as she grew more confident. "As Jedi, before the Republic was even formed, we were meant to show compassion! If we cannot even show that to one of own, then we have no right being Jedi!"

Quite a few things happened at once. A couple of the Jedi Masters felt ashamed, including Obi-Wan, many of the Jedi pondered the wise words that were spoken from the Twi'lek Master, and every single person in the room dropped their jaws. Where had _this_ come from?

Aayla, for a moment, wondered if she went too far with her actions, but she shrugged it off. After all, she really did care about him.

Yoda broke the silence with a laugh. "Dumbstruck, you have made us, Master Secura. Wisdom, you have, and reminded us of the truth. Beyond mistakes, we are not. _I _am not." He turned to Anakin. "Made mistakes with you as well, Young Skywalker."

Anakin widened his eyes. "What do you mean, Master?"

"Treated you well, we did not," Yoda admitted sadly. "See that now and regret it, I do. Become upset with the Council, you have, for trust you, we did not. Judge you, why should we, for crimes not committed? Even the Council suffered under the Dark Side, hmm?"

Mace, for the briefest of moments, clenched his fists in anger. He knew exactly what Yoda referred to: the fall of Depa Billaba. She was a former student of his and a member on the Jedi Council. Sadly, her story came to an end when she fell not only to the Dark Side, but fell to insanity. The two dueled the fiercest duel he had ever been in, and he defeated her, but at a cost. Currently, she was in a coma, and her condition wasn't improving. Mace always felt that he failed his former student ever since then.

"He's right," Obi-Wan agreed, feeling a bit brave. "What will you do when the next prophecy rolls around about a powerful Force-User. Make the same mistakes? I think not. With all due respect, Anakin's circumstances were clear signs of what _not_ to do in such a situation, and, regretfully, I did not help much either." _Consider this a much-needed apology, Anakin._

Anakin was completely speechless. Whatever side of the bed he woke up on this morning seemed to have something to do with it.

"Then how do you propose we deal with this situation?" Ki-Adi Mundi asked.

"I say continue to train Jack to be a Jedi," Arcee suggested in a matter-of-fact tone. "I mean, he was Padawan Jack Darby before all this happened and he's still Padawan Jack Darby."

"I understand the point you make, Arcee," Aayla pointed out with a smile. "We continue to train him and teach the ways of the Light."

"Agreed," Kit Fisto said. "He will make a fine Jedi Knight someday, whether or not the prophecy is true."

"Continue this discussion later, we shall," Yoda announced, stepping out of his chair. "A meeting with Chancellor Palpatine, Arcee and I do."

"Wonderful," Arcee said deadpanned. "Politics."

Outside the Council Chambers, Jack was listening in to everything. He was truly touched that he had all those people helping him. If there were changes that were being made to the future, he knew that something good came out of all this...madness. The Council admitted their mistakes and they weren't the stuck-ups that Jack had pictured them to be. Well, Mace was a different story, but one miracle at a time. Plus, it seemed like Anakin was going to have his own future look a little brighter.

The doors to the Council Chambers opened to reveal Arcee, Anakin, Aayla, and Yoda walking out, all of whom looked better than when they walked in.

"What's going on?" Jack asked.

"Well, you were eavesdropping, so that question's redundant," Arcee pointed out.

"Worry, you need not," Yoda assured with a smile. "Speak to the chancellor, we must. Inform him of our new ally, we shall."

"Mind if I join you?" Jack requested. "I might have to convince the old man."

"He's not just an old man," Anakin snorted. "He's a good a man."

_If you say so._ Jack thought to himself. _There's something about Rip Van Winkle that I don't trust. Plus, I want to know just what does he have in mind for Arcee._

* * *

(Republic Executive Building)

"Come in, my friends," Palpatine greeted with a warm smile.

The five Jedi, Jack, who was walking Arcee in, Aayla, Anakin, Yoda, and Ahsoka, who was given permission to tag along as well, entered the Chancellor's office. This time, four, blue, faceless bodyguards stood near the chancellor, prepared to cut down anyone who even looked at the chancellor funny. Arcee was in her vehicle mode since she couldn't fit into the door, but once she got the green light, she would transform back into her robot mode.

"I trust you two are recovering," the chancellor said, looking concerned for Jack and Anakin.

"We'll be fine, Chancellor," Jack assured.

"We appreciate your concern, Your Excellency," Anakin said with his trademark grin. "How are you doing?"

The old man's grin slightly faded. " I will admit, my boy, I am bit shaken. Good men died yesterday as well as Senator Philo. Those bounty hunters nearly made off with Ziro the Hutt in a well-played strategy. Our lobby has been bombed and will take a while to repair, given our financial status."

Yoda bowed his head. "Terrible tragedies they were, but hope on the horizon, it is."

"Yes, this Arcee person I was told about," Palpatine said, his mood slightly lifted. "I am interested in meeting our new ally."

Jack turned the motorcycle. "Arcee, you come out now."

Arcee instantly transformed into her robot form, shocking the daylights out of the bodyguards and the chancellor. She had to kneel down in order to avoid hitting her head on the ceiling. The bodyguards, once they got their act together, aimed their electrostaffs at her, but Palpatine waved them off.

"I did not see that coming," he admitted with a chuckle, panting. "Although a little warning next time would be appreciated. The last thing the Republic needs is for me to have a heart attack."

"This is Arcee, Chancellor," Jack introduced with a grin. "She's an Autobot from Cybertron and a really good friend to have. She's a great fighter, as you may have heard, and-!"

"Jack, you can stop advertising me," Arcee suggested firmly, but allowed a small smile. "I think he gets it."

Palpatine nodded as he took a seat. "Yes, I am aware of your exploits on Ryloth, and I can speak for everyone when I say that the Republic owes you a debt of gratitude."

"I was just doing my job," she replied in a humble tone. "Protecting the innocents is one of our mandates."

"Perhaps you can tell me more about your species?" he requested.

For the next fifteen minutes Arcee explained to the best of her ability about the Autobots, the Decepticons, the Cybertronian War, and the secret war on Earth. While she was doing that, Jack was paying attention to Palpatine's reactions. Each and every reaction seemed to be an appropriate response going from horrified when talking about how Cybertron was currently a dead world and concerned when he heard about Decepticons such as Ramjet roaming the stars. Perhaps Jack was being paranoid or prejudiced against politicians.

"That is a lot of information to take in," Ahsoka stated.

"I would have to agree with you, my dear," Palpatine agreed, equally overwhelmed. "A war that consumed a planet is not unheard of, but the thought of those horrible creatures roaming the galaxies is unsettling, to say the least. If these...Decepticons, as you call them, are as ruthless as you make them out to be, perhaps your presence on Coruscant could prove to be a danger for the rest of us."

Jack glared at the old man and decided to speak his mind, but in a respectful tone to avoid unnecessary anger. "With all due respect, Chancellor, whether Arcee is with us or not, it wouldn't change the fact that the Decepticons are still out there. One Decepticon took out four ARC-170s by ramming into them. Another Decepticon, who was badly injured, mind you, nearly ruined the Ryloth mission. How is not having an Autobot on our side going to make things better?"  
Aayla interrupted Jack before he provoked anything from the Chancellor or his guards. "That's enough Jack, I think you've made your point."

For a brief moment, it seemed like Palpatine had morphed into another person, the kind persona vanishing replaced with a look that made Jack think he may have crossed a line. However, it vanished as soon as it appeared, and the Chancellor spoke in the stern-but-fair voice that all politicians seemed to possess. "While I am willing to apologize for any presumptions I may have shown, do not presume to lecture me, Padawan."

He emphasized the last word and continued with his speech. "I am the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic while you have barely begun your Jedi training, so I would greatly prefer for both our sakes that you keep your tongue in check."

While they didn't show it, Yoda and Aayla did not like the way the Chancellor was treating one of their own, however well he tried to hide it. True, Jack spoke out of line, but he didn't mean any harm. Ahsoka couldn't keep the frown off her face as crossed her arms. Arcee glared at the Chancellor for insulting her partner and was about to tell the Chancellor what she thought of him when Palpatine's holoprojector beeped. With a sigh, the old man activated it and the hologram of Commander Fox appeared.

"Commander, I trust you have something important to say." Palpatine greeted, annoyed that his meeting was interrupted.

"Apologies, Chancellor," Fox replied, giving a quick bow, "but there is an unknown starship in orbit requesting permission to speak with you. It clearly doesn't belong to the CIS or the Republic."

The chancellor sighed, wondering what more surprises were coming his way. "Very well. Patch me through." After a moment, he got a signal to the ship that was in orbit, but it was audio only. "This is Supreme Chancellor Palpatine of the Galactic Republic. Identify yourself immediately!"

"_Sheesh, grouchy,_" the voice replied. "_Your first-contact conversations could stand to be a bit more friendly. Mind calling off the cruisers that are currently aiming at me?_"

Jack grinned, knowing who the voice belonged to. "Wheeljack! Man it's good to hear from you again." Palpatine resisted the urge to tell off Jack again for interrupting him, but he decided to see how this would play out.

"You know him?" Ahsoka asked.

"We both do," Arcee answered, feeling skeptical about the situation, "but last time, we were duped by an imposter."

Jack nodded, remembering the event Arcee was talking about. A Decepticon imposter named Makeshift took the Autobot's place and nearly compromised the entire operation by almost revealing the location of the Autobot base. Jack decided to quiz the Autobot to see if he was who he said he was.

"I'll handle this, Chancellor," Jack stated, stepping towards the holoprojector.

"_Your voice sounds familiar,_" Wheeljack responded before it came to him. "_Of course! You're the kid from the base! Good to hear from you, Jack._"

"You, too, Wheeljack," the teen replied. "Say, Wheeljack, what was the last thing you did before you decided to search for more Autobots?"

"_I posed for a picture with Bulk for that girl,_" he answered correctly. "_She probably made wallpaper out of it, knowing her._"

Jack chuckled, satisfied. "He's all right, guys. This is the real Wheeljack."

"_Nice touch with the security question, kid,_" the Autobot complemented. "_One can't be too careful during these days. You mind asking Palpy to let me land? I'm detecting an Autobot signal down there._"

_'Palpy?'_ Ahsoka mouthed, trying to hide her giggles.

"Ahsoka, don't," Anakin warned.

The chancellor could not remember someone who dared to not only show complete disregard of his authority but give him an insulting nickname. Before he could say anything, Arcee walked up towards the holoprojector. "Wheeljack, this is Arcee."

"_Hah! The two-wheeler!_" he exclaimed. "_You're a bit far from home, ain't ya? What happened?_"

"It's a long story," she replied, turning to Palpatine. "Mind extending a landing pad for him?"

With an exasperated sigh, Palpatine nodded before speaking to Wheeljack. "I am sending you the coordinates for a place where you can land. Be warned: if you mean to do us harm, we will not hesitate to retaliate. Is that understood?"

"_Have it your way, Palpy,_" Wheeljack cheekily responded ending the transmission. Palpatine was so frustrated that he was rendered speechless, and it didn't help that the two youths in the room were trying and failing to suppress their smiles.

"Since Arcee and I know him more than anyone in this room," Jack stated after clearing his throat, "I think the both of us should accompany the chancellor."

"Very well," he sighed. "We will continue this meeting later."

"Interesting, this will be," Yoda noted as he walked out of the office in the path of his friends.

* * *

_I hope the landing pad is big enough._ Jack hoped while desperately trying not to look down.

Instead of being directed to a hangar, Palpatine had arranged the meeting to be at a landing pad out in the open and thousands of feet in the air. Jack morbidly wondered how long it would take for someone to fall to their death. While it was a terrible place to hold a meeting because it was out in the open, it had many advantages. Snipers were placed in nearby buildings and they had clear shots of the landing pad. Gunships also surrounded the area in the event of a major attack. Another security measure that had to be taken was for Palpatine to attend via hologram. Given the recent events, there was no use taking any chances with his life.

On the platform stood Arcee in her robot form, Jack, Aayla, Anakin, Yoda, and Ahsoka as they waited patiently for the Autobot to arrive.

"So, what's this Wheeljack like?" Anakin asked, trying to pass the time.

"He's a cool guy," Jack admitted. "He's part of the Wreckers, a group that operated outside the chain of command, so his natural disregard for authority probably stems from that."

"You can't get him to stand still though," Arcee pointed out. "He's usually on the move a lot."

Ahsoka widened her eyes in shock as she pointed upwards. "Is that his ship!?"

Up above, several ARC-170s were escorting one of the most interesting starfighters they had ever seen. It was bulky and white with several weapon attachments on them. The thing the onlookers noticed the most was the sheer size of it. It was as big as three LAATs combined, giving reason to why Jack hoped that landing pad was big enough.

As the ship landed, the Jedi backed up instinctively as the engines were still blowing wind and heat in their direction. The landing pad _barely_ contained the transport, relieving the lot of them. As the engines died down, Ahsoka wondered what kind of person dwelled in a ship like that.

She received her answer when the hull opened up. Instead of the typical ramps that came with fighters like this, the hull was a large platform that could be lowered to the ground.

On the platform stood a forty-foot tall robot with white armor that matched the color of his ship. He had red patterns on his arms, legs, and chest, which included a bright red Autobot insignia. On his back were two swords that could possible slice through a house with no problem. Like many of his Autobot comrades, he bore blue optics, but unlike them, he carried something that defined him: a roguish smile.

"How ya doin'?" Wheeljack greeted.

Ahsoka's jaw dropped at the sheer size of the Autobot. The others did well to hide their surprise, save Jack and Arcee, who already knew him.

"_Welcome to Coruscant, Autobot Wheeljack,_" Palpatine greeted. "_I am Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. We spoke earlier._"

He nodded in recognition. "I remember you. Nice touch with the hologram, the gunships, and the snipers located on the buildings."

Once again, Palpatine was at loss for words, this time, by Wheeljack knowing about the snipers. "_Um...how did you...?_"

"You don't become a Wrecker if you don't take into consideration security protocols," he answered. "Although, I would have suggested the entire group be holograms and the landing pad be loaded with charges despite the mess it would make."

"A threat, you are not," Yoda informed with a chuckle as he approached the Autobot, "and too much collateral damage, explosives would make."

"You have point there, Tiny," the Autobot replied.

All of the Jedi cringed at that statement. They knew what was coming next. Arcee just shook her head in annoyance of the Autobot's behavior.

"Careful, Wheeljack," Jack warned. "You don't want to mess with Master Yoda."

"What harm could a-? Ow!"

One of Yoda's pastimes was to whack people with his stick when they insulted him or needed to get the point across. Normally, a wooden stick wouldn't damage metal, but a stick with a massive Force Push attached to it created a small dent in Wheeljack's foot. Needless to say, he felt it.

"Show respect to your elders, you will!" Yoda stated firmly. "Size matters not."

Wheeljack would never admit it, but the diminutive, green Jedi Master made him nervous. Wisely, he did not insult him again.

In order to move past the embarrassing scene, the Autobot changed the subject. "So, are ya gonna introduce me to your new friends, Jack?"

Aayla stepped forward to introduce herself. "My name is Aayla Secura of the Jedi Order. I am Jack's master in training him in the Jedi arts."

"Uh...cool?" the Autobot replied, clearly confused.

"We'll explain it all later, Wheeljack," Jack assured.

"I'm Anakin Skywalker," the Knight introduced. "This is my Padawan, Ahsoka Tano. I believe you acquainted with Master Yoda." He allowed himself an impish grin at that statement.

"Not a word I would use," Wheeljack replied sourly. "How'd ya end up here, Arcee?"

"A Space Bridge," Arcee answered. "Megatron blasted Jack into it when it was malfunctioning and I took the liberty of going after him. We ended up in a galaxy that contains another war."

Wheeljack took on a grave look, knowing the full effects of war. "That's never good. That explains the trigger-happy cruisers and the extra security measures."

"What brings you to Coruscant, Autobot Wheeljack?" Palpatine questioned.

"I detected an Autobot signal since our species is scattered to the stars," Wheeljack responded. "Since Arcee and Jack are far from home, I can drop them off back on Earth."

Jack froze, realizing what he meant. After who knows how long, he finally had a chance to return home back where he belonged. He could see his mother again. It was what he's been wanting.

What came out of his mouth was the ultimate stuttering. "You—uh, you can, uh—take me...home?"

"I still have the coordinates in the _Jackhammer_," the Autobot boasted, his grin returning. "After all, it's the connection I do have to Bulk at the moment."

Jack smiled, but it was a half-hearted one. While he could return home, that meant leaving Coruscant, leaving his new friends. Once he went home and saw his mom, he wasn't sure that he could leave after that.

"Does that mean...you're leaving?" Ahsoka asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jack wasn't sure how to answer that question. The looks he was receiving from the group made it hard for him to come to a decision. Ahsoka, naturally, was saddened by this. Anakin had the look of "Do what you think is best." Aayla could not not hide the fact that she would miss her Padawan. Arcee look at Jack, expecting him to make the choice to leave all of this behind. Yoda turned to face Jack and stared at him intently. Only Palpatine seemed unfazed by all of this.

"A decision, you must make," the green Jedi Master said. "A chance you have to get away from this war. To force you to stay, unfitting for a Jedi, it is."

Arcee, however, wanted to persuade her partner. "Jack, you know it's for the best. It's the only way to keep you safe."

The teen bit his lip, unsure of what to do. On one hand, he could say yes and get away, but not only would he miss his friends, but the Republic would lose two allies. Plus, they would have to deal with the Decepticons without them and hope that they run into Autobots. On the other hand, if he chose to stay, he would risk getting killed many times, but he would be helping others, something he always wanted to do. Plus, he wouldn't have to wear to stupid braid.

He decided to calm his mind, and open himself up to the Force. He would let it guide his decision.

"Jack?" Arcee asked, concerned.

"Meditating, he is," Yoda pointed out. "Guiding him, the Force is."

For a few moments, Jack said nothing as he delved into the pros and cons of his decisions. In what seemed like hours, yet it had only been a few minutes, he opened his eyes.

"I'm going home," he decided.

Arcee was about to commend him for his wise decision, but what he said next shocked everyone.

"But I'm coming back!"

If it weren't for the speeders zooming in the air, there would've been a great silence. Arcee's optics widened in shock and three of the Jedi dropped their jaws in awe. Only Yoda gave a warm smile, knowing that this was the will of the Force.

Arcee broke the silence with, "What? You're...coming back?"

He turned to the femme, knowing that this was coming up. "I have to, Arcee."

Every part of Arcee wanted to argue and protest vehemently against Jack's plan, but with what happened yesterday in the Jedi Temple Hangar, she wasn't keen on picking a fight with him again.

She settled with two words: "But, why?"

"I think we are all wondering the same thing," Aayla said.

Taking a deep breath, Jack answered with, "I love my mother. She gave birth to me, she raised me into the teenager I am today, and I owe everything to her. I love Earth. It's where I grew up. It's where I made friends. It's where I call 'home.' But, there is a war going on in this galaxy, a war that is seeking to consume all. I can't live with myself knowing that I could have done something to help and did nothing. It's going to be hard to leave it all behind again, but I know that this is something I must do." He raised his hand to stop Arcee from interrupting. "I know you want to keep me out of harm's way, and I appreciate it greatly, but it would be selfish of me to take the easy path. I was meant for more than an ordinary life." _Wow, Miko. Those words actually had merit._

"A wise decision, you have made," Yoda observed with a warm smile. "A test, this will be, to let go of your past."

Aayla nodded in agreement. "Jack, as your master, I believe that this is something you have to do. I will not stop you should you decide not to return."

"Thank you, Master Secura," Jack replied.

"_Master Jedi,_" Palpatine interrupted, "_might I suggest that we use this to our advantage?_"

"What do you mean?" Aayla questioned.

"_Perhaps we can send an ambassador to Earth and see if we can-._"

"Absolutely not!" Jack exclaimed suddenly.

Once again, Palpatine narrowed his eyes at him. "_I beg your pardon?_"

"There are three reasons why I am not bringing an ambassador with me: One, our weapons are too primitive and we cannot sponsor anything or anybody, given our current financial situations; Two, my planet is not aware of extraterrestrial life. A sudden appearance could take months to settle and wrap their heads around; and Three, Earth has been hidden from the CIS and the Republic. I'd like to keep it that way."

Palpatine pursed his lips, clearly not happy with the decision. "_I understand. The offer stands should you choose to take it._"

Jack nodded. "I'll keep that it mind, Chancellor, and thank you."

The old man faced the Autobots. "_And what is your take on all this, Autobots?_"

"Since the Autobots are scattered," Arcee informed, "we cannot officially make an alliance with you people. Because it's our duty to help others, though, I think you can safely say that we will be able to help you if we can."

"I'm not makin' any promises," Wheeljack stated firmly. "Sometimes I stay, sometimes I go. It's how I do things, but if there's a battle goin' on, you can bet that if I'm around, I'll be in the thick of it."

"_Thank you,_" the chancellor responded, relieved. "_Master Jedi, I will leave you to your affairs._"

His hologram vanished in an instant.

"Ready when you are," Wheeljack said, heading back to the _Jackhammer_.

"In a minute," Jack replied, turning towards the Jedi. "With your permission, I would like to keep my lightsaber with me. Given that there is a secret war brewing on my planet, I'd rather not be defenseless."

"Permission granted," Yoda said. "Hope to see you again, we do."

Jack gave a curt bow to Yoda and Aayla. "Master Yoda, Master Secura, I will return." He tuned to Anakin and shook his hand. "Good luck smashing the droids, Anakin."

"Good luck with...whatever it is you have to do," the Knight replied.

He turned to Ahsoka and said, "I'll see you around, Ahsoka."

To his surprise, the Togruta hugged him. "See you around, Big Guy."

Jack smirked at the nickname as he returned the hug.

"Getting a little mushy, aren't we?" Wheeljack asked with a smirk.

Instantly, the two broke off the hug as if they had been electrocuted.

Nervously, Jack cleared his throat before walking towards the platform. Arcee and Wheeljack soon followed and once all three were on, the platform rose into the ship. Jack did not move a single muscle until his friends and mentors were out of sight.

The interior of the _Jackhammer_ consisted of several controls and two seats, all of which were too big for Jack. He settled for leaning against the wall as Wheeljack entered the pilot's seat.

"Let's get out of here," he said.

"Jack, if you want, you can take the copilot seat," Arcee offered.

"You sure?" he asked.

"Positive."

Once he nodded, Arcee lifted him off the floor and placed him on the seat, which was surprisingly comfortable for a Cybertronian seat. She took his place as the ship rose into the air and went in stasis mode for the duration. Before Jack knew it, he fell asleep as Wheeljack piloted the ship away from Coruscant, heading home at last.

"Think we'll see him again?" Ahsoka asked as the four Jedi departed from the landing pad.

"I think so," Anakin replied. "Still, I have this nagging feeling that this is only the beginning."

Aayla looked at the sky, wondering just what this was the beginning of.

**Here's another complete chapter. Special thanks to Prime Writer for helping me write this. And yes, this is truly the beginning. Once Jack returns from Earth, you guys will be seeing more and more transformers showing up. Keeping making requests. Who knows who will show up?**

**Review, vote, etc.**

**Next chapter: Jack returns home, but there are some unforeseen complications.**


	16. Chapter 15: Loose Cannons

**Throw the confetti in the air because I have reached over 100 reviews! WOOHOO! My one hundredth reviewer is death'ssontripo. I give you another chapter and recognition as a reward. I'll do this every time I reach another hundred reviews. If I reach 1000, that would be awesome. If you guys could spread the word around, that would be great. I want to thank you all for putting up with me and this story and my previous one. I seriously did not imagine that I would make it this far.**

**NOTE: Other Autobots and Decepticons won't start showing until Jack leaves Earth, but it won't be a long wait. Fear not. Your requests are not going unnoticed. Also, Ahsoka and Jack won't start falling in love until he returns.**

**HiddenHero220: Yes, she will and we'll see what happens.**

**death'ssontripo: I'll research him.**

**Mazamba: Do not worry. I have a lot of plans for Jack regarding his status as the Catalyst that none of you will see coming.**

**Rvbfan424: Thanks.**

**SpartanPrime101: I'll see what I can do.**

**The Prime Writer: I aim to please and I'll keep that stuff in mind.**

**elfqueen13: He'll show up outside of the Prime Universe. I just have to figure out how.**

**kris-dragon: Thanks.**

**Redgargoyale72: Spoiler: I planned for that to happen.**

**tankbuster626: Phew! There's been a lot of names so far, but I'll look into it. I promise!**

* * *

Chapter 15: Loose Cannons

(Earth; Jasper, Nevada; Three months after Jack's funeral)

"Mr. Anderson," Principal Smith said while shaking his head in frustration, "this is not the first time we've had issues with Miss Nakadai. She has shown complete disregard for the classes she takes as well as school policy, and she has been disrespectful to her teachers and to me. Now, she has assaulted one of my students."

Michael Anderson's patience with Miko was wearing thin. It was bad enough that one of her friends had died (he understood how that would affect her physically and emotionally,) but she had changed for the worst. It was like she didn't care about anything anymore. Her grades were declining at a faster rate, which was saying something. She had occasionally snapped at people if they tried to put her on a better path or if someone talked bad about Jack. In fact, they were having a conference because Miko broke Vince's nose for making a snide remark about him. Some people never change.

To make matters worse, she seemed to have lost interest in...everything. Nothing her host parents could do would be enough for her. For the past three months, all she did was stare out the window, watching for something. If the two tried to help her, the Japanese exchange student would lock herself up in her room, sometimes to cry. They had tried to get her to see counseling, but she would have none of it. She could care less about her future, at that bothered Michael and his wife, Beth, greatly.

"If her behavior continues to go on this downward slope," Principal Smith warned gravely, "I will have no choice but to suspend her, quite possibly expel her. And we don't want that to happen."

"I don't care," Miko muttered.

"What was that?" Smith asked.

"I don't care!" she repeated coldly. "Throw me in a jail cell for all I care."

"Miko!" Michael scolded, embarrassed by her actions.

"Mr. Anderson, will you excuse us please?" Smith requested. "I would like to have a moment with Miss Nakadai."

Reluctantly, Michael exited the office and waited with his wife outside, who was looking extremely concerned for their daughter. Miko didn't even acknowledge that he left.

With a sigh, Principal Smith walked towards Miko with a sympathetic look on his face. "The reason you haven't been suspended earlier, Miss Nakadai, is because you are in mourning. I understand what you are going through. Just recently, my father passed away due to cancer. I do not applaud your behavior, but I do understand it. I knew Jackson Darby, and he was a good man."

"'And he wouldn't want you continue on this downward trend,"' Miko mocked bitterly. "I've heard this crap before."

"Would he have wanted this for you?" he questioned. "Or did you not know him well enough to know?"

Miko clenched her fists. "He would have gotten exasperated my behavior and told me that I was a lost cause."

While that seemed unlike the Jack the principal knew, he let it slide. "What about Mr. Esquivel? You are a good friend of his, are you not? He's worried about you, but he doesn't know how to help you."

"That's because there's nothing to help," she replied grimly. "I can't be helped."

He shook his head as he took a seat next to her. "I do not agree with you on that point, Miss Nakadai. I once knew someone who was about your age who used to do drugs. At first, it was due to peer pressure, but then he became so addicted that he lost his way and shut out everyone that he loved.

"One day, he was caught smoking a joint outside in the school grounds because he couldn't care less about his life. The authorities found several joints in his locker and he was suspended. While his class graduated, he was forced to stick around. For a while, he didn't listen to the pleas of his family or his friends or anyone that remotely cared about him. He became a recluse, a depressed teenager who had lost all that he could have gained.

"However, that was not the end of the story. In a last-ditch effort and because a friend of his planted the idea in his head, he decided to join the United States Marine Corps. If nothing else, he believed that they could help him when no one else could. He had a GED, giving him the chance he needed to enlist. The ten weeks he spent in boot camp were the greatest trials for him because he had to learn to submit, follow orders, and treat his comrades with respect and trust. Pretty soon, though, they became friends and by the end of boot camp, they became family. They helped him lose the drug problem and was able to find purpose in life again."

"What happened to him?" Miko asked, immersed in this student.

"He's sitting right next to you," Smith answered with a smile, pulling back his sleeve to reveal a tattoo that revealed two words. "_Semper fi!_ Do you know what that means, Miss Nakadai?"

"No," she answered, clearly surprised by this new information. "I can't believe that you have a tattoo, though."

He chuckled before telling her what they meant. "'Always faithful!' The motto of the Marine Corps." He pulled his sleeve back down. "It was an oath that we swore when we enlisted, to be always faithful to our country, to its citizens, and to each other. Each of us would take a bullet for the other when push came to shove and if one of us stumbled, 10 men would pick him up."

"So, you're saying that I should join the army and get a tattoo?" Miko joked.

Smith's voice became grave with concern. "You still have a future ahead of you, Miss Nakadai. I urge not to wait until you have reached your lowest point to seek help. While you may not see it, you have two parents who love you dearly and would do anything to help you. You are meant for more than this life you are currently leading."

She allowed herself a smile. "I once said something like that to Jack a long time ago."

"Do you still believe that you can't be helped, Miss Nakadai?" he questioned, staring directly into her eyes. "I want you to give me an honest answer."

Miko was silent for a moment before she answered the principal. "No, I don't."

Satisfied, he walked back to his desk. "Good. Now, we have to discuss the events that have occurred today and your punishment."

She gaped at him, horrified. "Punishment!? But-!"

"Please don't interrupt me. Regardless, you still assaulted Vincent, but he will face the consequences of his actions. Disrespecting a student who has passed away will not be tolerated. You, however, must serve your time like the rest of us. You will be suspended for a few days, but you will not remain idle. A few students have wasted their energy putting graffiti on the walls of our school. You will help clean off the walls and you will have help. Until your three days are up, or if the graffiti is gone, you may return to this school. You start tomorrow at nine in the morning. Are we clear?"

"Fine," she replied, defeated. There wasn't anything Miko could say or do to lessen the sentence.

"I have faith in you, Miss Nakadai," he said with a smile. "In time, I believe you can get past this."

* * *

(Unknown Space)

_"Stop, you're hurting him!"_

_ "How else will he learn!?"_

_ "I will not allow you to harm my son anymore!"_

_ "Give me your best shot, woman! See what happens!"_

_ "Stop fighting, please!"_

_ "Stay out of this boy!"_

_ "STOP!"_

Jack woke up, gasping for breath. He wondered briefly where he was until he saw Wheeljack and Arcee peering at him, clearly worried for his well-being. He was still in the _Jackhammer_.

"Jack, are you all right!?" Arcee questioned with panic etched in her voice. "Do you need medical attention!?"

Wiping the sweat off his face, Jack answered, "It was just a nightmare, Arcee."

"What's a nightmare?" Wheeljack asked. "Is that a condition?"

"Not exactly," he replied, standing up. "When humans sleep, we have dreams, mental images, if you will, about the past, our hopes, and even our fears."

Wheeljack shook his head. "That didn't look normal, kid. You were shouting while you were sleeping!"

Jack's eyes widened. "I was!?"

"You kept yelling 'stop' and I almost shook you awake," Arcee explained. "You sounded like you were being attacked."

Jack hesitated for a moment. "I...had...memories of being smacked around when I was a child."

It was like the air had dropped a few degrees. Wheeljack and Arcee bore expressions of shock and fury respectively. In fact, the femme looked ready to go level a city to the ground In fact she was shaking with barely contained rage. Abusing a small child was unthinkable. To think of the levels someone would have to go down in order to do such a horrible thing.

"Your father?" she asked in a calm, deadly voice. When he nodded, she stated, "Give me five minutes and I'll make sure that he pays in full for what he did to you!"

"Arcee-"

"NO ONE HURTS MY PARTNER AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!" Arcee roared, her voice echoing throughout the _Jackhammer_.

Both Wheeljack and Jack were glad that she was on their side.

"Arcee, he's in prison!" Jack assured, trying to diffuse the tension. He put his hands against his ears to calm the ringing that was currently bashing him. Boy, could she shout. "He's doing time for those reasons you stated in a state far from Nevada. And besides-!" Jack clenched his lightsaber firmly. "-get in line!"

One of Jack's reasons for returning was so that he could confront the monster that raised him. Far too long did he suffer under him and now he was strong enough to face him. Once he did so, not only would he put the past completely behind him, he could find some answers to his many questions.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Arcee asked, her anger slowly fading.

"I'm positive," he responded truthfully.

"We're almost at the rendezvous point," Wheeljack announced.

Jack threw him a look of confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Before I discovered the two of ya, I was planning to meet a fellow Wrecker. It's just a small detour. Besides, we're in the same solar system as Earth is. This won't take long, I hope."

He nodded. "I understand. So what if it's another hour? The more Autobots out there, the better."

Wheeljack smirked at the teen. "I like the way you think, kid. Ah, there's Seaspray now!"

Jack and Arcee looked through the window and spotted a ship that looked exactly like the _Jackhammer_ except the vessel was violet instead of white. The ship was hovering in front of them, apparently waiting for Wheeljack's arrival.

Jack, however, felt a small darkness emanating nearby. It sent shivers down his spine, the kind people got when they were afraid.

"Seaspray, this is Wheeljack!" the Wrecker announced as he activated the comms. "You copy?"

"Jack?" Arcee questioned when she noticed his increased anxiety.

"Something's not right," he said, looking directly at Seaspray's vessel.

"You there, Seaspray?" Wheeljack repeated, getting a little concerned.

Jack closed his eyes as he stretched out with the Force. He ignored everything that was going on around him and concentrated on that small patch of darkness. As he thought, it was coming from the ship in front of them. He couldn't sense Seaspray himself, but he felt as if something was there that shouldn't be there.

His senses zeroed in on the underside of the ship, spotting an explosive that was about to go off.

"Bomb!" Jack shouted.

Immediately, Wheeljack activated the reverse thrusters, and not a moment to soon.

Seaspray's ship vanished in a ball of fire once the bomb had detonated. What was left of the Cybertronian and his ship were pieces of debris floating around endlessly in space. Unfortunately, the _Jackhammer_ wasn't safe yet. The shockwave of the blast impacted Wheeljack's ship, causing to spin out of control. As the alarms blared excruciatingly loud, Wheeljack tried to get a handle on the controls. He was strapped to down to his seat, of course, but the same could not be said for Arcee and Jack. The teen in question was thrown out of the giant chair, but the femme managed to catch him as she crashed against the wall. She tried to grab on to something with one hand while holding Jack close with her other hand. Luckily, Wheeljack regained control of the ship.

"You guys okay?" Wheeljack asked, clearly worried.

"I'm fine," Arcee groaned. "Just a couple of dents. Jack?"

While Arcee did save Jack from meeting a terrible and quite possibly embarrassing death, his nose was bleeding upon hitting her hand, yet it wasn't broken. Adding insult to injury, he looked like he was about to lose his lunch.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," he moaned. "Put me down. Quickly!"

Considering that he knew more about the human body than she did, Arcee placed him on the ground where he instantly vomited on the floor. Arcee couldn't help but recoil in disgust. She did not want to know what he had just puked out.

Wheeljack paid them no heed as he stared silently at the spot where the former Wrecker was. He clenched the controls so hard that began to creak under the weight.

"I'm gonna find that slagging Con and personally tear him limb from limb," he stated in an uncharacteristic deathly voice.

"I'm-!" Jack was interrupted by his own coughing. "I'm so sorry, Wheeljack."

He turned to the teen, his anger put aside for the moment, and spoke with extreme sincerity. "You knew the bomb was there and warned me in time. You saved our lives, kid. I owe you."

Jack, however, was saddened by a fact that he voiced. "I couldn't sense the bomb in time to warn Seaspray."

"Do not go there, Jack," Arcee demanded in a soft, but firm, tone. "You may have picked up a lot of new tricks since you've been gone, but you have limits. We all do. The fact remains that you were able to-!"

Her lecture was interrupted when the scanner picked up another spaceship in the vicinity. It was heading southwest of their position, signifying that the assailant wasn't in the mood to stick around to finish the job.

"The coward is making a run for it," Wheeljack snarled. "Hang on to something, guys, because this is going to be a bumpy ride."

"You're not seriously-!" Arcee was once again cut off by the engines kicking in a full throttle.

Wheeljack made a sharp U-turn and faced the fleeing Decepticon. The ship he was chasing was more sleek and thin than the _Jackhammer_ was. It was completely blue with several Decepticon insignias patterned on the vessel.

Enraged at the death of his friend, Wheeljack let loose a volley of lasers at the Decepticon, who managed to skillfully dodge the impending fire.

"It's only a matter of time before you slip up, Con," the Autobot sneered.

Arcee glared at the pilot while keeping Jack in a firm grip. "Wheeljack, can you not see that you are endangering Jack's life? There will be another time to-."

"Can it, Arcee!" Wheeljack shot back, his eyes on the prize. "I'm finishing this now."

"Isn't this familiar?" Jack asked, using dark humor.

"For the record, I didn't endanger your life when it came to Airachnid," the femme pointed out.

"True," the teen admitted before catching a familiar sight. "Wait a minute. Isn't that Earth's moon?"

Sure enough, the Decepticon had led them straight to Earth, which was being approached ever so quickly. While Jack was thrilled at returning home, a feeling of dread washed over him. They were driving yet another Decepticon towards the planet. Wasn't there enough of those blasted Transformers already?

Finally, Wheeljack scored a hit and blasted the Decepticon's engine off. Losing power, it would be forced to land.

"Are you insane!?" Jack exclaimed, clearly upset.

"Kid, the ship is grounded," Wheeljack pointed out. "He's not going anywhere else."

"He's being grounded on _my home_!" he retaliated.

Wheeljack didn't have a response to that, so he settled for making sure to finish the job as quickly as possible.

"If we survive this," Arcee said, giving Wheeljack the evil eye, "you and I are gonna have a long chat that might have some pain involve."

For the moment, the Wrecker ignored her, continuing to fire upon the Decepticon. They entered Earth's atmosphere as a rapid pace and within a few minutes, the Decepticon ship crashed next to a few buildings, creating a rather large crater. Wheeljack prepared to blow the ship up, but discovered that the weapon systems were overheated.

"Slag!" he swore, landing the _Jackhammer_ a short distance away from the crashed ship. "Looks like we'll have to do this the old fashioned way." He turned to Arcee. "You get the kid to safety. I'll handle the Con!"

"I don't take orders from you," she spat, still furious with him.

"Guys," Jack coughed, "can we not do this? The fact of the matter is that there's another Decepticon on my planet. If we can pin him down before he scans for-."

"'We?'" Arcee repeated, arching an optic ridge. "Not a chance, Jack." She began listing the reasons why, much to his annoyance. "You're a human, Decepticons are ruthless killers, your glowstick-!"

"Lightsaber," he corrected.

"Whatever. It can only do so much damage against the Cons, and you just ejected bodily fluids out of your mouth!"

"Less talking and more doing," Wheeljack interrupted, walking towards the exit of his ship.

He extended the ramp and charged outside, preparing to tear the Decepticon apart like he promised. Formulating a plan, Arcee transformed into her motorcycle form and demanded Jack to get on. He decided not to argue and did what she said. She drove away from the scene as fast as she could, leaving a trail of dust behind. Meanwhile, Wheeljack's hands turned into his blasters as he charged directly towards the wreckage, which was currently burning.

"Come on out, Con!" he shouted. "I _might_ consider sparing you if you surrender!"

A red laser blasted Wheeljack backwards, but he managed to stay on his feet.

"Perhaps you consider that statement being directed at you now, Autobot," the Decepticon pointed out, stepping out of his ship.

He was blue, minus a few yellow details, which obviously matched his ship. He had yellow wings coming out of his arms, legs, and shoulders, signifying that he once carried an aerial mode. In his hands was a giant, gray cannon that was still smoking and being aimed at the Autobot.

"Dreadwing," Wheeljack said, unusually calm. "I shoulda known it was you. You always did like your bombs."

"My patience wears thin, Wrecker," Dreadwing warned. "Surrender, or-!"

Wheeljack opened fire on the Decepticon. "Shut up and fight already!"

* * *

(Jasper, Nevada; Autobot Base)

"_PRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME!_" Agent William Fowler yelled over the communications system, his face redder than a tomato. "_WHAT THE HELL ARE YOUR PEOPLE DOING OUT HERE!? We had an agreement! NO COLLATERAL DAMAGE!"_

"I am sorry, Agent Fowler," Optimus Prime replied, his patience showing no signs of ending, "but all Autobots are present and accounted for."

That did not ease the agent's mind in the slightest as he narrowed his eyes at the Autobot leader. "Then explain to me why I'm receiving reports of two jumbo-sized Bots mixing it up 20 miles outside Omaha."

"Decepticons?" Ratchet suggested.

"There has been infighting among their ranks lately," Optimus pointed out.

"Well, I'm just arriving on the scene," Fowler informed. "Have a look!"

The screen changed to a Decepticon fighter clearly crashed. A closer look revealed a Decepticon taking cover from blue lasers. The screen zoomed in to reveal a blue Decepticon that bore an uncanny resemblance to a former Decepticon.

**Skyquake!?** Bumblebee exclaimed, shocked and confused.

Skyquake was once a Decepticon that was truly loyal to Megatron. During the warlord's coma, Starscream attempted to take command, but Skyquake refused to follow the Seeker. Optimus pleaded with him to abandon the Decepticon ideals, but that too fell on deaf ears. Both Optimus and Bumblebee were forced to destroy Skyquake before he tried to wreck havoc on Earth.

"I don't know," Bulkhead responded. "Paint job aside, it can't be Skyquake. You and Optimus pounded him into the ground."

Optimus nodded in agreement. "Agent Fowler, can you show us the Decepticon's opponent?"

The camera turned towards another ship that wasn't as damaged as the Decepticon's, but it looked very familiar. The Autobots' suspicions were confirmed when it showed a white Autobot currently attacking the Con.

"By the AllSpark!" Ratchet exclaimed in surprise. "It _is_ one of ours!"

"Wheeljack," Bulkhead stated before laughing in excitement. "Jackie's back!"

As usual, Fowler was having none of it. "_I don't care if Abraham Lincoln's back. We have to contain this situation before we all wind up on the 11 o'clock news!"_

"We are on our way, Agent Fowler," Optimus assured. "Ratchet, lock in those coordinates and prepare your medical kit. We may have a wounded comrade on our hands." He turned to the other two Autobots. "Autobots, roll out!"

* * *

(20 miles outside Omaha)

_This Con has me pinned down._ Wheeljack thought to himself as he took cover behind the _Jackhammer_. Dreadwing unleashed a volley in his general direction, but Wheeljack's ship withstood the heat. Once he found the opening, Wheeljack retaliated with his own blasters.

"You've got nowhere left to run, Con!" he shouted.

Dreadwing decided to strategically retreat and let the Autobot come to him. As expected, Wheeljack charged at him guns a blazing , but they were interrupted by an aerial vehicle approaching them.

"_This is Special Agent Fowler of-!_" the pilot said over a megaphone.

Thinking that he was a threat, Wheeljack fired a few warning shots at him.

"_Whoa!_" Fowler exclaimed as he barely dodged the lasers. "_Stand down, hot head! I'm on your side!"_

The distraction was all Dreadwing needed to attack. He fired two lasers, one that hit the ground, but the second scored a hit on Wheeljack's shoulder. Fowler surprised the Decepticon by firing a turret directly at him. Dreadwing was forced to take cover behind a building, but he found no refuge, for Arcee sped towards him, transformed, and kicked him backwards. The Decepticon swung his cannon like a club, but the femme somersaulted over him, firing on his head. He managed to get even by elbowing her against wall. He grabbed her leg and tossed her right at Wheeljack, who managed to catch her. The impact of the blow, though, sent the both of them skidding across the ground.

"Let go of me!" Arcee ordered.

Wheeljack quickly relinquished his grip on her. "Sheesh, you do something nice for someone and-."

His sentence was interrupted by a Ground Bridge opening up to the west.

"Had a feeling the gang might show," he said with a grin.

The three Autobots, Optimus, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee, charged out of the Ground Bridge weapons at the ready. When they saw Arcee, they stopped dead in their tracks.

"Arcee?" Optimus asked, not believing what he saw.

"Later!" she replied, firing her blasters at Dreadwing. "We've got bigger problems."

Optimus broke off with Bulkhead as they ran towards Wheeljack's position while Bumblebee, soon joined by Arcee, charged in the general direction of Dreadwing, trying to cause a distraction. Dreadwing saw through the ruse, however, and opened fire on Bulkhead and Optimus, who both returned fire. Once again, the Decepticon had to take cover behind the building.

"Jackie!" Bulkhead exclaimed, seeing his injuries.

"Small world, huh?" Wheeljack asked, trying to stay positive.

Suddenly, a green lightsaber flew directly into Dreadwing's cannon, severing it half.

"What the Pit!?" Dreadwing shouted, shocked by the turn of events.

"Hey, buddy!" Jack exclaimed, summoning his lightsaber back. "Over here!"

"What the frag, Jack!?" Arcee yelled.

"Jack!?" the Autobots, minus Wheeljack and Arcee, exclaimed.

Dreadwing surprised Jack by turning one of his hands into a blaster, firing at him. Jack Force-Jumped out of the way, but the blast's shockwave sent him crashing against the building, dazing him.

"Pathetic bug," the Decepticon sneered.

He was forced to make a run for it again as the Autobots unleashed a volley of lasers upon him, Arcee more than most because of what he did to Jack. Fowler couldn't unleash his payload due to Dreadwing being so close to a gas station where Jack happened to be at.

However, the Decepticon saw an opportunity when he saw Fowler's Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft, or VTOL. "That will do." His eyes turning green, he scanned the vessel, causing it to malfunction slightly.

"Not this again!" Fowler complained.

Once the scan was complete, Dreadwing prepared to get the heck out of there.

"Oh, no you don't!" Wheeljack shouted, preparing to attack again.

"Wheeljack," Optimus warned.

"Jackie, no!" Bulkhead yelled.

The Autobot fired a few shots, but one hit the gas station, causing it to explode. A fireball consumed a good portion of the area, but Dreadwing, in his VTOL mode, flew away from the scene. Wheeljack continued to shoot at him until the Decepticon was long gone.

"Dreadwing rigged the place to blow!" he snarled.

"Dreadwing?" Bulkhead asked.

"You selfish, murdering, piece of slag!" Arcee screamed, tackling the Wrecker down.

"Arcee-!?" Wheeljack exclaimed before she brought a wrist-blade to his neck.

"Jack was in there!" she shouted, wanting to cut his head off. "You killed him!"

"No _*cough*_ he didn't," a weak voice corrected.

Every single optic turned directly towards the teen, who's robes were burnt and his face covered in soot. His braid was on fire, but he put it out with his fingers. It was like time stopped for no one moved a muscle. The teen that they believed to be dead was standing right in front of them.

"Hi, guys," he said, coughing up a couple of fumes. "I'm home."

**Cliffhanger. I hope you guys liked this chapter. **

**My inspiration for the first scene was if Hugo Weaving had a role in this story and he played the principal. Should I bring the guy back or not? And before you ask, what's going on with our favorite hacker will be revealed in the next chapter.**

**Review, vote, etc. Goal is 1000 reviews so please tell people about this story. **

**Next chapter: Jack gets rebuked, welcomed, and cried on all on the same day. We learn also what happened while Jack and Arcee were away.**


	17. Chapter 16: Conflict of Interests

**JapanRules555, Rvbfan424 and EgyLynx: Thank you.**

**Redgargoyale72: Whoa, that's a lot of ideas, but I think I might go with at least one of them.**

**The Prime Writer: Thank you.**

**Hayden101: Sweet, you have a profile. I welcome ideas and thank you for taking an interest.**

**Bantan400: I appreciate it.**

**Bigby the Big Bad Wolf: That will happen soon. Rest assured.**

**RapierDragon: Thank you and that sounds like a good idea.**

Chapter 16: A Conflict of Interests

As expected, silence was greeting Jack at the moment. Not only was he "dead," but he came back and walked out of a fireball relatively unscathed. Every single Autobot had their mouths open in complete and utter shock. Even Optimus, infamous for his relative lack of emotion, was taken aback, his optics widened in bewilderment. However, Arcee's surprised look immediately vanished and took the form of...anger. Jack cringed, knowing that he was going to get quite the tongue-lashing from his partner in the near-future. He was not looking forward to it.

**J-Jack!?** Bumblebee stuttered, breaking the silence.

When Jack nodded in response, for he had no idea what to say during this moment, Bulkhead gave a shout of joy.

"Praise the AllSpark!" Bulkhead exclaimed, embracing Arcee in a bone-crushing hug. "You're alive! Both of you!"

**We thought you were dead. **Bumblebee stated, looking back and forth from Arcee to Jack, thinking that any moment, one or both of them would vanish.

Arcee was practically suffocating under Bulkhead's massive grip and could barely speak. "I...will be if this lug. Doesn't. Stop. Crushing Me."

Quickly, the green Wrecker released her with an embarrassed look on his face. "Sorry, Arcee."

**HOW ARE YOU TWO ALIVE!?** Bumblebee shouted, growing impatient and wanting answers.

"I believe that we all want to know the answer to that question," Optimus added, "however, we must return to base immediately. The longer we stay here, the more likely we will be spotted. Then, we will discuss what has happened." He activated his comlink. "Ratchet, Bridge us back and contact June Darby. She needs to come to the base immediately and bring a medical kit that specializes in burn wounds. Prepare sick bay as well. We have an injured comrade."

"_What in blazes!?"_ Fowler yelled, still in his VTOL and coming to his senses. "_Another civilian caught in the crossfire!?"_

"The civilian in question is none other than Jackson Darby, Agent Fowler," Optimus replied.

To say that Fowler was stunned by this revelation would be an understatement. "_SAY WHAT NOW!?" _

Arcee turned to Wheeljack and glared daggers at him. "Don't think you're Scot-free just because he made it out of there alive. You still put him at risk."

Wheeljack raised his hands in surrender, ignoring the throbbing pain in his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I had no idea that there were volatile elements in the area."

"It's called a gas station," Bulkhead explained. "Kind of like an energon depot. Doesn't mix well with blaster fire."

"In other words, you owe me _big_ for almost getting me killed _again!_" Jack pointed out, slightly annoyed that the Wrecker was so careless.

The moment Arcee stared down at him, he instantly regretted opening his mouth. "Speaking of which, what part of 'Stay here!' did you not understand!?" Her voice escalated with every word. "You wouldn't have been in danger if you listened to me!"

While it was a lame excuse, Jack told her his reasons for fighting. "I couldn't just sit by and watch you guys take punishment from that guy."

"As much as I would love to stick around," Wheeljack interrupted, walking away, "our Con's getting away."

Optimus stepped in his path, blocking him. "Wheeljack, there are other considerations. While upon this world, you would do well to follow my lead."

"_I'm going to clean up around here,_" Fowler said over the comms, "_but I will be present when you explain to me just how Jack and Arcee came back from the grave!_"

Jack smirked. "He hasn't changed a bit."

Finally, the Ground Bridge vortex appeared and the Autobots began to walk through it.

"We still need to talk about your future combat assignments," Arcee pointed out as she entered the Bridge, "_and_ when to stay out of them."

"Fair enough," Jack conceded, knowing that he wasn't going to get out of this.

* * *

It had been three months since June Darby had any contact with the Autobots. Ever since Arcee's abrupt disappearance, she had severed all ties to the Cybertronians, making it absolutely clear that she wanted nothing to do with them. For all intents and purposes, Megatron fired the shot that took her son away from her, but Optimus led him to that early grave. Now and then, she would see the familiar green SUV that was Bulkhead or the yellow Urbana 500 that was Bumblebee, but they never approached her. She correctly assumed that Optimus put them on patrol now and then in the possible event of an attack, though they would keep their distance.

There was a moment during the three months where the former mother considered taking her life when the grief and agony hit its peak. However, what stopped her was when she was called to the hospital to help a patient. It was an elderly male who had a head injury due to a bicycle accident. Barely, she managed to save his life and he miraculously avoided getting brain damage. Like any other person she had treated, the patient thanked her for treating him, but what he said next stunned her.

"You truly are a Godsend, Nurse."

It was at that moment that June realized how much she still had to offer the town of Jasper. There were still people that needed to be healed from their own sufferings and it would be selfish of her to deny them that care. She was still on Earth for a reason, and if was to continue to help people like she had always done, then, by God, she would help them.

When Ratchet called her, June's first instinct was to ignore the phone. She bore no ill will towards Ratchet, specifically, but she was trying to move on and Autobots contacting her in the middle of the night wasn't helping. Reluctantly, she answered the phone.

"What is it, Ratchet?" she asked with a yawn.

"_I am sorry to disturb you, Miss Darby,_" the medic said, "_but we are in need of your medical services._"

Whatever exhaustion the woman had been feeling was instantly replaced with urgency as she practically jumped out of her bed. "What's the patient's condition?"

"_Nothing that would cause for severe alarm,_" he assured, "_but Optimus said that he needed you to be able to deal with burn wounds._"

As June changed from her nightgown to causal wear, she began to formulate the strong possibility of second-degree burns, given the nature of the call and the lack of desperation.

"Is it anyone we know?" she wondered as she compiled a sterile-gauze bandage, painkillers, and a bucket of room-temperature water.

"_Optimus wouldn't say. How soon can you get here?_"

"I'm on my way now," June answered as she entered her black, Chevrolet Cruze Station Wagon due to the fact that her first car was destroyed by a tornado. "I'll be there in ten minutes

"_We await your arrival,_" Ratchet stated as he hung up.

June drove as fast as she could towards the Autobot base, dreading the memories that she was currently having. All those times of visiting Jack when she found out the truth revolving around his extracurricular activities. She was so concerned (more like terrified) for his safety, but Jack was always so determined to help others. She had always admired that spirit of his, until...

_No! _She thought firmly, shaking away the instinct to shed tears. _Do not do this to yourself, June. There is someone who needs your help and thinking about the past will only impede what you need to do. June needs to make way for Nurse Darby._

She spotted the mountain the housed the Autobots as the road began to end. The camouflaged doors slid open, giving her room to drive in. Once she passed the tunnel, she stopped the car directly in front of the Autobots and got out, wasting no time. She spotted a young male standing in front of the group clutching his arm in pain despite his best efforts not to show it.

"I've got everything I need to help," she informed the Autobots. "If you guys can-"

The moment she laid a closer eye on the teen, she stopped dead in her tracks. Burnt robes and cut hair aside, there was no mistaking the blue eyes that stared intently into hers, equally shocked.

Carefully, she placed the bucket of water down so as to not drop it from shaking with the rising emotions that were threatening to be let loose. The doubting thoughts of the teen's identity were squashed by intense waves of hope and desperation that coursed through her body like a strong current.

"Jack?" June whispered, covering her mouth with her hands.

"Mom?" her son whispered back, tears streaming down his face.

Once he said that word, June ran towards him and Jack met her halfway, determined to reunite. They crashed into an embrace with June sobbing into his shoulder.

"My son," she cried uncontrollably. "My baby boy."

"It's okay, Mom," Jack quietly assured. "I'm home."

For a moment, the two stood there holding each other. It did not matter that the Autobots were watching the whole ordeal. All that mattered was the two of them.

"I thought you were dead!" she exclaimed, causing Jack to back up in surprise by her raised voice. "You were dead!"

"I'm not," he said. "I got transported...somewhere else, but I'm home now."

He noticed at the iron-grip June currently held his uninjured arm in. It was understandable that she did not want to let go, but if she kept it up, he would lose circulation in his arm.

"Is this a dream?" June asked, looking directly at his face.

"If it is, I refuse to wake up," he responded.

She chuckled briefly while wiping away her tears before noticing the burn on his arm. "You're hurt!"

"It's nothing, Mom." Jack tried to brush off the injury considering that worse things had happened to him that she would _never_ know about.

Of course, June Darby treated the injury as the worst thing that happened and gave him a glare. "This is not nothing, Jackson Darby! Don't you dare try to brush it off!"

"I'm sorry, Mom," he apologized.

"Sorry!?" June yelled, finally relinquishing her grip. "Three months you've been gone! THREE MONTHS! You couldn't come back sooner to let me know that you were alive!?"

"I tried!" Jack shot back, trying to end the argument before it got worst. "That's why it took me three months to get transportation here. Apparently, the solar system didn't even exist where I was, but I spent a lot of time thinking about how I was going to return home. To return to you." _And the fact that I was involved in a war. No details allowed!_

June's expression softened when she realized her error and nearly broke down again. "Look at me, Jack. You're back in my life and already I'm shouting at you."

Jack hugged her again. "I'm not taking it personally, Mom. You had every right to be worried about me. Heck, I would've done the same thing in your position."

"Will you please let me fix your arm?" she offered.

He nodded. "It's the least I can do for you."

While he was being treated, Optimus decided to step in. "Are you able to tell us what happened, Jack?"

"Yes," he answered.

Before June arrived, Jack told Arcee and Wheeljack to not breathe a word about the Clone Wars, his reckless acts, or anything revolving around returning. He would deal with all of that later.

"I got teleported to a different planet, but Megatron's blast injured. Fortunately, not only did I wind up on a planet with a breathable atmosphere, but a group of talking lemurs healed my injuries."

Liking Arcee, June was very skeptical at that statement. "Talking lemurs? That's impossible!"

To her surprise, Jack laughed. "Mom, I think the word impossible has no merit anymore." He further proved his point by gesturing to the Autobots before continuing.

"While I was there, get this, I found a few humans and humanoids."

"Other humans!?" was the chorused exclamation from all of them save for Arcee and Wheeljack.

"There are thousands of species in the galaxy Jack was in," Arcee stated. "Including humans."

"But how can humans be on other planets?" Fowler asked.

"I have a theory about that. Ow!" Jack gritted his teeth as June sunk his arm into the water.

"Just relax," she said. "We need the swelling to go down."

"Anyway, I believe that thousands of years ago, humans colonized this planet, but they probably decided to live a life without dealing with the Republic, or whoever was the government back then." He paused, thinking about that statement. "Actually, that theory sounded better in my head."

"The Republic?" Bulkhead asked.

"It's an inter-planet government that, well, governs other planets. Okay, most of the _galaxy_ is part of the Republic. A few star systems have their own systems, but they usually have ties to the Republic in some way. What I found interesting was the humanoids looked almost human save for a few qualities like skin color outside the norm, tails on their head, things like that. However, a group of outsiders wanted to attack the village of talking lemurs and the humans and humanoids defended them."

"Tell me you didn't get involved," June begged.

Jack looked at her sadly. "It was completely unavoidable. I had to defend myself. Once the invaders were defeated, I was taken to a planet called Coruscant where I would be safe."

**What did you do for three months?** Bumblebee asked.

"I was learning how to fight in the event I needed to defend myself," Jack answered.

"Wait, you understood Bumblebee?" Bulkhead interrupted.

Jack was silent for a moment before saying, "Yeah. I, uh, can understand him now. It's a trick I picked up while I was away."

**That's great!** The Autobot scout stated happily. **You can understand me!**

"What about you, Arcee?" Optimus asked. "How did you find Jack?"

"I went to the right galaxy, but the wrong planet," she answered. "I aided a group that was being oppressed and destroyed a Decepticon that followed me to the place."

"Which one?" Ratchet asked.

"Airachnid." Despite the spider's death, the name still left a bitter taste in her mouth. "She won't be bothering us ever again."

For a moment, she thought she saw Optimus frown, not that she cared, but he said, "Continue."

"I found Jack on Coruscant, but the Archives had no records of Earth, the Solar System, or even Cybertron for that manner. Until Wheeljack happened to pass by, we were stuck there."

June took notice to the metal hilt on Jack's belt. "Jack, what is that?"

Jack unhooked his lightsaber and answered, "This is the weapon I've been training with. It's called a lightsaber." Taking several steps back, he ignited the green blade. "It's a sword that can cut through any metal so far. It's pretty awesome."

"That little thing cut through Dreadwing's cannon?" Bulkhead questioned. "Nice!"

"Jack, what is he talking about?" June asked in a warning tone, crossing her arms.

Wheeljack decided to take the reins to relieve some form of stress. "When we landed, there was a Decepticon waiting for us. Jack here tried to get to safety, but he got scorched by a gas station."

June gasped at that. She knew exactly how volatile those fires were. She had seen far too many victims of the fires, many more gruesome than others.

Luckily, Wheeljack had a happy ending to the story. "He severed the Con's weapon in retaliation, though. It was pretty epic. When the reinforcements showed up, the Con wisely retreated."

"Hence the burned clothes and the wound on my arm," Jack added.

June, however, realized that something wasn't adding up. "Jack, an explosion wouldn't just leave you with a second-degree burn while burning your clothes. How is that even possible?"

Jack sighed, hoping for the best. "Because I can do this."

He gestured towards the bucket and levitated it in the air. June's jaw dropped, completely and utterly shocked, while the Autobots who have never witnessed such a thing widened their optics.

"That's not possible," Ratchet breathed, unable to take his optics off the floating object.

"It is where I was," Jack replied, slowly lowering it down. "I have this...ability that allows me to do stuff like this. I think something in the Space Bridge made me get this power, but it's only a theory. I used telekinesis to shield myself from the fire to prevent serious injuries."

"Jack, that's incredible!" June exclaimed.

"Thanks." A yawn escaped his mouth. "If you don't mind, I think I would like to turn in. It's been a long day."

**But we have more questions.** Bumblebee protested.

"And I'll answer them...tomorrow," he replied.

"Jack, mind if I talk to you for a moment?" Arcee asked, putting a hand on her hip.

"Sure," he answered, turning to his mom. "I'll be right back."

She nodded, but it was a reluctant one.

Once the two were in a different corridor, June instantly faced Optimus, speaking with an icy tone. "Do not even _think_ about coming near my son because he is not coming near you people ever again! Do you understand me?"

"I understand, June," the Autobot leader responded in his usual grave tone.

* * *

"Jack, you are treading on thin ice right now," Arcee warned. "You can't keep secrets from her like that and expect results."

"I'm going to tell her everything," Jack stated, albeit with hesitation. "Eventually."

The femme sighed in annoyance. "Jack, once she hears about what you've been through, do you honestly believe that she will let you go back?"

Jack bit his lip. "I didn't think about that."

She knelt down in front of him. "Hate to break it to you, but you didn't think this through. All you said was that you wanted to see June and go back. Did you think about how she would feel? How _you_ would feel? What about-?"

"I get it, Arcee!" Jack interrupted, cutting her short. "You're right. I didn't think things through. I was only..." His voice trailed as he put his hand on his forehead in frustration. "You saw her, Arcee. We all saw the pain that she went through when she thought I was dead. I can't leave her again." Then, a thought popped up, giving him an idea. "Unless..."

"Unless what?" the femme asked. "What are you thinking?"

"Maybe I bring her with me to Coruscant," Jack suggested, snapping his fingers. "Think about it. We can start a brand new life, get her away from this place."

Arcee held up her hand. "Whoa! Slow down, partner! You are jumping ahead way too fast."

"What do you mean?"

Arcee rolled her optics. "Before you start thinking about the future, why don't you take care of the present for a while?" She gestured towards where June was. "After all, it's been three months."

Jack facepalmed, cursing his stupidity. "I can't believe it. I need to slow down."

She smirked. "We've got time to kill. Spend time with your mother. She needs you right now, okay?"

Jack nodded sheepishly. "Yeah."

When the two returned to the main room, Jack turned to the Autobots. "I'll see you guys later."

**Stay out of trouble.** Bumblebee advised.

"Will do?" Jack chuckled before gazing at his mom's car. "Nice car! I like it a lot better than the old one."

"Thank you, Jack," his mom replied, turning on the ignition.

Without saying goodbye, June drove out of the base with Jack in the passenger seat. Arcee decided not to follow so that June could have as much time as she wanted to see her son.

"I am relieved that you have returned to us, Arcee," Optimus stated, "and that you found Jack, but you put your life at grave risk when you went to find him."

"I didn't care," she replied, crossing her arms. "It was a risk I'd take again. And be glad I did because we've got bigger problems."

"What kind of problems?" Bulkhead asked.

"There was a Decepticon over there," she answered. "It was Ramjet."

"Ramjet!?" Wheeljack exclaimed. "I hate that guy!"

"My instincts tell me that he's not the only one out there," she added. "There could be more of them. Plus, there's a war going on."

"You never mentioned a war," Ratchet pointed out as his continued to fix Wheeljack's wounded shoulder.

"We weren't about to tell June that Jack was caught in the crossfire again," she replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "In fact, that's why Jack has that lightsaber. He's training to fight!"

"WHAT!?" was the chorused reply. The ones who knew Jack could not believe it, even Optimus.

"Jack isn't the only one with those powers. He joined a group called the Jedi Order, peacekeepers who currently trying to end the Clone Wars. From what I've seen, it's pretty bad. It's a galaxy-wide war!"

The Autobots cringed at that statement. They knew that losing Cybertron to war had been the darkest day in history, but a galaxy-wide war was a terrible thing to think about.

"What are the chance of these...Clone Wars coming to this world?" Optimus questioned, worried for the human race.

This time, it was Wheeljack who answered. "Nah. The kid took steps in order to avoid that scenario. He convinced the Supreme Chancellor to not send ambassadors and I checked my ship to make sure that trackers weren't placed. The blue marble is safe. OW!" Ratchet's medical tools hit a sensitive spot on his wound. "Take it easy, Doc. I need that arm."

"Hold still and maybe you'll keep it," Ratchet advised in a tone that booked no argument.

Wheeljack turned to Optimus. "That reminds me, apologies for the fireworks earlier, Commander. Won't happen again."

Arcee scoffed, not believing it. "Right."

"So, Jackie," Bulkhead said, "how'd you end up finding Jack and Arcee? I thought you were roving the galaxy-you know, looking for Autobot refugees."

"I was," the Wrecker confirmed, "until I found one: a Wrecker."

That got the green Autobot excited. "Who?"

"Seaspray."

Bulkhead let out another exclamation of joy. "How is old Barnacle Butt?"

Wheeljack bowed his head. "Not so good, Bulk. Blown to bits, actually."

Bulkhead staggered back in horror. "What? No!"

Optimus realized who was responsible. "Dreadwing."

* * *

(Unknown location)

Rafael Esquivel braced himself as he was delivered another slap to the face by his captor. They had been going at it for the past three hours with no signs of letting up, yet they haven't even asked him a single question. Blood poured from his nose, bruises on his face started to form, and his face was starting to become swollen.

Yesterday, he was walking home from school when a black van picked him up. Before he could struggle, he was knocked out. His glasses were destroyed so everything was a complete blur, making it easier to not be able to identify where he was. However, he could tell the men wore suits and masks to hide their identities, but that didn't really help at all. So far, they never answered any of Raf's questions. All they did was tie him to a chair, place him in a dimly lit room, and smack him around.

"Enough!" a strong voice commanded, clearly the leader.

The guy that was hurting him backed up as the leader approached him. Raf could barely make out the smirk on this guy's face. He was the only one wearing a mask, but he couldn't make out any features other than the smirk

"It's good to meet you, Mr. Esquivel," the man said. "Or do you prefer Rafael?"

"What do you want?" Raf asked, terrified. "Who are you?"

"My name is Silas," he introduced, leaning towards him.

Raf gulped, connecting the dots. "You're MECH!"

"Indeed we are," he replied, circling him. "Now, you are wondering why we have been making you...uncomfortable. The way I see it, I wanted to give you just a small sample of what is in store for you if you do not give us what we want."

Raf shivered at the thought of possible worse treatments. "What do you want?"

"I want the location of the Autobot base," Silas answered. "You give it to us and we'll return you home. Hell, I might even pay your medical bills if things go smoothly."

Raf looked at him with a glare. "And if I don't?"

Silas chuckled. "What do you think?" He gestured towards an indistinguishable object next to him. "Do you you know what this is?"

"I can't tell," Raf admitted.

"Ah, yes. You have very poor eyesight without your glasses. Well, let me explain it to you. This is known as the picana electrica. It's a device that delivers non-lethal shocks, but it will make you wish you were dead when it stops." He picked up the prod at pointed it at him. "So, I'm going to ask you again: where is the Autobot base?"

Raf was too weak to come up with a lie, so he settled for the next best thing. "I'm not telling you anything."

The steel in his voice surprised Silas, but he settled for making Raf's life a living hell. He jabbed the prod in his shoulder, producing an electric shock that coursed through the kid's body. His bloodcurdling screams echoed throughout the facility, but no one outside of it could hear him. As of right now, he was alone.

**Phew! Writer's block is a pain in the neck. Well, at least I have another chapter up and poor Raf. Rest assured that Silas will get his comeuppance soon. Special thanks to Prime Writer and Rapidfyrez for helping me with this chapter.**

**Review, vote, etc.**

**I am not fond of torture at all, but I wanted Silas to be more evil so that it's more satisfying when he goes down.**

**Next chapter: Jack has to figure out his priorities while the Autobots deal with Dreadwing.**


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